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– A Meru man is trying to catch up with the late Akuku Danger by accumulating as many wives as he can
– Robert Kathata, 36, has 17 wives and 31 children and he is hoping to marry many more
– All the wives and children are comfortably catered for and the children receive a good education with some having already completed their higher education
A Meru County man yesterday, on Friday, May 20 proved that a man can have more than 10 wives and manage them all without any conflict among them.
Robert Kathata, 36, married his first wife in 1997 at the age of 18 and has since accumulated more over they years to number 17 today.
“Our culture allows for polygamy – and I have inherited the tradition from my father. I am proud to manage many wives and make sure all my children go to school. I am a living testimony that a man can keep many wives peacefully,”said Kathata as quoted in Citizen digital.
From the 17 wives, he has 31 children who receive good education and have all their needs comfortably catered for.
For each wife and her children, he built them an identical house. 17 wives are from Meru region while the other three are from Nyeri, Nairobi and Marsabit respectively. He is planning to marry more wives.“I stay for two weeks at each wife’s home in a continuing cycle. We even have a timetable for this. I talk to them daily to counsel them on the importance of living in harmony so that they do not embarrass me in one way or another,”added Kathata.
To put this in perspective for those who can’t cope with his polygamous status, a number of his wives spoke to the media on what their lives were about.
Grace Kawira is the first wife. She has borne Kathata three children and does not mind the number of wives her husband has. She however believes he should not add more wives because the cost of living is too high in this current economic climate.
Lucy Nkatha is the fourth wife. She has two children by her husband and both completed their education.
“Every month, we hold a get-together and get to familiarize ourselves with each other. When our relatives visit, the co-wives help in preparations. Even if he wishes to add more wives to the number he has, we as the wives have no problem with that because he takes good care of us,” said Nkatha.
Purity Kinya is the last wife. She hopes her husband will end his acquisitions with her. However, she does not mind the existence of the other wives because her husband caters to all her children’s as well as her needs.
Robert is a CORD chairman in his Igemebe Central home town and is popularly known as Rambo.“We as co-wives live peacefully and we even seek advice and help from one another. E all dine on the same table,” said Kinya.
He is hoping to sire more than 150 children considering he picks his wives during annual reed dance rituals and social functions.
His late father is survived by 35 widows and 148 children.
The last known man to have accumulated many more wives than Nkatha was Akuku Danger who hailed from Ndhiwa constituency.
By age 22, he had married five wives and by the time of his death in October 2010, he had left behind over 100 widows and more than 200 children. He had however divorced more than 80 of the women.
Ancentus Akuku was 92 by the time he died and left behind a legacy by building a school for his children as well as a church for his family to worship in.
He ran successful businesses including operating a fleet taxis and numerous general stores in his hometown.
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