Female leaders share mixed views on polygamy

By: Ketemba Tjipepa

Female leaders have shared different views on polygamy, with Ovambanderu Traditional Council leader Aletha Nguvauva saying she was married at 17 as the third wife of the late Ovambanderu Paramount Chief Munjuku Nguvauva II.

City of Windhoek councillor Fransina Kahungu took a neutral position while, /Khomanin community chief Julianne Gawanas said she opposes polygamy.

NewsOnOne spoke to several female leaders about polygamy following Justice Minister Fillemon Wise Immanuel’s attempt to provide clarity on the matter, which was stopped by the Speaker of the National Assembly last week.

Aletha, who was married to Nguvauva in 1984, said she initially did not agree with her family’s decision but later changed her mind after her parents encouraged the marriage, saying the man was a leader.

She said that as her husband grew older, she pitied him and looked after him, ensuring that he was cared for.

Aletha explained that polygamy was not necessarily a bad practice in the past, particularly for men in leadership positions.

“If a man is older, or is a leader, or has been the head of a household, getting married to one wife is not an easy thing. Also, men were created by God not to stick to one partner”.

“The idea behind the practice was that a man who took a second wife would not need to seek relationships outside the marriage. That was the idea behind it. The other thing was that if one of the wives was not there, the home would not be left unattended because the other wife was there,” said Aletha .

City of Windhoek councillor Fransina Kahungu took a neutral position on whether polygamy should be legalised, but said the debate should also consider sexual needs and the reality that women outnumber men.

Kahungu said more importantly, the discussion should consider children born to men who are already married to other women, who she says can be hidden or denied a relationship with their fathers.

“Let’s not discuss this by the sake of only discussing, but let us discuss with the aim to come up with solutions. Especially to these children who are suffering psychologically, emotionally, and physically because they do not have that love of their father. Or they are prevented to go and visit their father. Or they just see their father always passing by, but they cannot be in that car together with their father,” said Kahungu.

However, /Khomanin community Chief Julianne Gawanas said she is against polygamy, warning that introducing the practice in today’s society could worsen jealousy, domestic violence and killings.

“When it comes to polygamy, especially among my community, we are jealous people, and I fear it could lead to domestic violence and even loss of life. If polygamy is introduced, and one of the partners becomes jealous, cases of domestic violence could increase. From my side, I am against polygamy, and I will stand by that position,” said Gawanas.

Gawanas acknowledged that, in the past, some traditional arrangements allowed one man to have several wives.

But she said those relationships were structured differently, with wives knowing each other, raising children together and being supported by the same husband.

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