MPs also deleted a clause that required a partner who had promised marriage to pay damages.
Emotions ran high during the debate, with male MPs supporting the clause saying it could be used to extort money from men in the country.
MPs Aden Duale, Jakoyo Midiwo and Junet Mohammed said it was against tradition to seek consent to marry a second wife and claimed their female colleagues had an ulterior motive in trying to push for the clause.
“I want my Christian brothers to read the Old Testament, King David and King Solomon never consulted anybody to marry a second wife,” said Duale.
“When you marry an African woman, she must know the second one is on the way and a third wife… this is Africa,” added Suna East MP Junet.
Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali told the House: “I am a son of the second wife of my father, if this Bill was in place, I would not be in this world.”
“The reason why men are jittery is because these people want to take our wealth,” Jakoyo stated.
However, female MPs passionately opposed the deletion of the clause saying many families could be affected financially as a second wife might claim all the wealth after the demise of the husband.
“We know that men are afraid of women’s tongues more than anything else, but at the end of the day if you are the man of the house, and you choose to bring on another party (and they may be two or three) I think it behoves you to be man enough to agree that your wife and family should know,” Narok County Woman Representative Sopian Tuya said.
About The Author
