Bukavu (DR Congo) (AFP) – “I could get is to find so you’re able to seven wives,” said Congolese chapel pastor Chirhuza Zagabe, a spouse in order to four spouses and you may father away from sixteen college students.
In the 2012, the sixty-year-dated married three feminine at exactly the same time inside the church inside east Democratic Republic away tsekki-naiset from Congo. He repudiated that for “crappy habits”, however features four aged anywhere between twenty six and you can 48 through other marriages.
Zagabe’s problem suggests that polygamy persists regarding huge main African nation, in which advocates firmly back the technique of having a wedding to so much more than simply anyone even after it being officially outlawed for lots more than simply thirty years.
Doing a couple percent of one’s earth’s population live in polygamous houses, depending on the Western think tank, Pew Look Cardio.
This new routine is actually very widespread for the sandwich-Saharan Africa, where a projected 11 percent of your own inhabitants live-in polygamous properties.
This new proportion during the DR Congo is a few %. Instances are plentiful of Congolese men offering from the with an effective “next workplace” that everybody is aware of — also their basic spouse.
Polygamy is very widespread inside sandwich-Saharan Africa, in which an estimated 11 percent of your people live-in polygamous house Guerchom NDEBO AFP
Whenever videos purporting to display one age date was printed on YouTube last few days, the fresh new films ran viral towards the social media.
It told the story from an earlier Congolese man exactly who supposedly fell so in love with a lady who had one or two research-alikes which were so persuading he ended up marrying all about three.
Certain comments pitied the fresh so-called bridegroom. “He’ll sustain”, wrote that reviewer. “We will see viewed it-all,” told you yet another, when you are an admirer remarked: “The fresh lad is actually good.”
A theatre movie director from the eastern city of Goma shown he is about the film, which he claims are considering a true tale and you can made use of actors to improve the trouble from polygamy.
Traditional community
All the Week-end, Zagabe demonstrates to you and you will praises brand new deserves out-of polygamy from the Lord’s Primitive Chapel, that was established in 1983 that is certainly one of DR Congo’s of several religious sects.
A number of dozen out-of his group eagerly listen to his preaching for the Bukavu, the main city from Southern Kivu state, that have women similarly of your own central section and you may guys on the other.
Zagabe’s sermon claims humanity’s story started with one to men and some ladies. “As opposed to located in adultery and debauchery, God authorised people to have numerous wives,” the guy told AFP.
“Polygamy was an individual establishment one to happens far-back in our old-fashioned African and you will Congolese culture. It is really not an effective divine organization,” said Raymond Kongolo, an excellent Catholic priest in Bukavu.
DR Congo’s structure and you may relatives password has actually clearly stated because 1987 that polygamy try an offense, considering Joseph Yav, an attorney and you may rules teacher regarding southern town of Lubumbashi.
‘Blessed from the God’
Certainly one of Zagabe’s congregation is actually Kalungu Kalebe, who’s a couple wives and you will 7 pupils. Unlike transgressing what the law states, the fresh 40-year-old thinks he could be “privileged by Goodness”.
Fellow parishioner Nathanaelle, fifteen, told you she are “ready” in order to marry a man together with other wives. “That doesn’t irritate me at all,” she extra.
Rakel, certainly Zagabe’s spouses, observes the youngsters from his almost every other partners just like the her very own, also the around three offspring she has borne him.
A unique out-of Zagabe’s wives, Yaelle, told you she stays in harmony together with his most other spouses. But she realized that neighbours exactly who always see their unique whenever she is actually the only partner from the household has actually once the avoided upcoming. “They escaped off united states,” Yaelle said.
“That it polygamy business is a deviation in our community, it is impossible!” told you Nicolas Lubala, a good 42-year-old Catholic just who accuses the fresh new Kinshasa-based Primitive Church of “contributing to moral depravation”.