While some sections of society denounce polygamy as an archaic practice that is not suitable for modern lifestyles, the BaTonga community of Binga believe it cultivates family unity and reduces incidents of domestic violence while suppressing HIV infections.
They claim polygamy reduces spinsterhood as there are more
women than men in the country.
For that service, they want the Government to pay them.
Due to the preservation of culture, the BaTonga community
in Binga District, Matabeleland North has one of the country’s low HIV
infection rates which stands at five percent against the national average of 11
percent.
Following the outbreak of HIV, health experts championed
monogamy as a measure to reduce infections.
But for the BaTonga people from Binga, the continued
practice of polygamy among other cultural practices seems to have saved them
from the HIV scourge.
The BaTonga believe that while citizens strive for
monogamous marriages, there is evidence that these relationships are failing
and hence contributing to high divorce cases.
Instead, the BaTonga have embraced polygamy as part of
their lifestyle.
Saturday Chronicle caught up with some polygamous men in
the Siachilaba area, under Chief Siachilaba, who backed the cultural practice
saying it has kept families together.
A father of nine, Mr Nelson Munkuli said polygamy comes
naturally in the BaTonga community as most of them were born in polygamous
families.
Mr Munkuli is married to two women and is looking for a
third one.
“My father had seven wives and 35 children if I’m not
mistaken. So, I’m planning to marry another wife just to follow in my father’s
footsteps. So far, I have nine children and one of my wives is pregnant and I
expect another child soon,” said Mr Munkuli.
“I’m inspired by my late father, so that is why I’m saying
I want to have at least three wives. I’m cognisant that having more wives comes
with more responsibility. We are living in different timelines from my father’s
generation.
“Unlike in the past where education was not prioritised, I
have to send all my children to school, so that is why I want to limit my wives
to three.”
He said one of his wives is his late brother’s widow, but
to guard against HIV infections, they both tested for HIV and were declared
free of the virus.
Mr Munkuli said by
marrying his late brother’s wife, he is also taking care of his sibling’s
children as his and doing so is key in cementing relations.
He said being fair to all his wives was key to
strengthening family ties.
“For instance, I have a duty roster that I maintain with my
wives. If I’m spending two days with one of them, I make sure that I spend two
other days with the other wife. That timetable has to be strictly followed. I
also have a separate hut which I sleep in especially when I don’t want to be
with any of them. That room is important in the management of conflicts and all
polygamous men have it,” he said.
“Even when I’m tired, I just resort to it because it is not
good for a man to claim to be tired. When I buy groceries, I take everything to
that room and that is where I share the goodies with my wives. Because, if you
don’t do that and take the groceries to the bedroom of one of the wives, the
other can be jealous and even think that you hide some of the things from her
and that creates conflicts.”
Mr Munkuli said the Government should consider
incentivising polygamous men as they were providing a service to the nation.
“As we speak there are more women than men in the country.
So, can you imagine without polygamous men where will those other women find
love? It is even better to be openly polygamous because some of these men who
claim to be in monogamous relationships are the ones trapped in infidelity
relationships. I think, the Government should consider rewarding polygamous men
as they are assisting a lot of women,” said Mr Munkuli. Chronicle
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