Nairobi News

Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma has sparked an online debate by proposing that men from his native Luo community engage in polygamy to increase the population of the community and chances “of assuming power.”

The lawmaker who has in the past been dragged before court on child support cases, argued that men should marry multiple wives and avoid using family planning to increase their numbers as a way of gaining strength to rule the nation.

Mr Kaluma further expressed concerns that a lot of women in the country are currently single mothers.

He asked women who are already married should also accept to share husbands when their men bring home co-wives.

“Chuo Onagi nyaka koro med mon. (Luo men must now have multiple wives). We can’t have our daughters bringing up our children as single mothers to untie!,” he wrote on his Facebook account.

The MP added “Doho chik Kenya oyie. Nyi onagi bende oyie except for a few who think ni dichuo mare kende! Med uru mon.(Kenyan law permits polygamy. Luo women should also know that they cannot own a man. Engage in polygamy.”

According to the legislator, Luo population is on the decline.

Kikuyu community is the most populous in the country based on the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census.

It is followed by Luhya and Kalenjin which collectively make up almost half of Kenyan population.

The fourth populous tribe is Luos, Kambas and Somalis.

Mr Kaluma said in order to rule, a community needs to have a huge population.

“The World is ruled by “population/numbers ” and”money ” This is the reason China, India, Russia, Brazil, Nigeria can’t be ignored,” he said.

The legislator argued that Somalis are currently doing very well on both population and money- and because of this, they have moved from being a marginalized minority group to occupying majority and dominant positions in every government.

Mr Kaluma said Somalis marry up to four women and are able to be blessed with many children which has enabled them to rapidly increase their numbers.

“They have their banks from which they freely access funding for enterprise and other urgent needs,” he said.

According to Mr Kaluma, Luos used to be the second populous tribe in the country.

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But the bribe has since dropped to fifth position.

“Luos have no bank, no financial institutions and are growing poorer and poorer by the day! Worst of all, Luo sons and daughters are the greatest champions of monogamy and family planning, he said.

He proposed to organizations advocating for family planning in Homa Bay to change their programs to necessary socio-economic development initiatives.

He said they can as well wind up their programs and leave.

His proposals ignited a major debate online when people supported him while others opposed his idea.

Mr John Odhiambo said increased population within a community promotes allocation of more resources from the government.

“Let our people think about the future or else we will forever be ruled by others,” he said.

Some people asked Mr Kaluma to implement what he says.

Most people want him to lead by example by marrying multiple wives.

Ms Dorine Loice described the legislator as a wise man but asked him to be an example to other members of the community.

Mr Denis Saka expressed concern that having more women will make life difficult for some men.

“Mon ma imedo go dhi chamo ongo yawa. Ka ngima oseng’ae e 10th floor. (What will the women eat. The cost of living is already on the tenth floor,” he said.

Ms Achieng’ Aquils said having more jobs will make men stable and be able to engage polygamy.