Kenyan comedian and media personality Sande Bush Oyolo, popularly known as Dr Ofweneke, has ignited a fresh wave of conversation around polygamy.
Speaking on the night of Saturday, June 21, 2025, during an interview with one of the local TV stations, Ofweneke argued that the conversation around polygamy should be left to rich men only.
He argued that any poor man should never even think or comment on polygamy. According to the comedian, a poor man cannot even feed his one wife.
“If you are a poor man, do not comment about polygamy, because you cannot even feed that one wife that you have. Polygamy is a conversation that only rich men can afford. It is only when you are rich that you can know how you would feel about polygamy,” Dr Ofweneke said.
Ofweneke’s advice to women
He went ahead to advise women that they should only wait until their men get money so that they can tell if they are faithful.
According to the comedian, many men have not thought of having second wives just because of their financial status.
“To the women who walk around in chamas and say my man is faithful and my man cannot cheat, can you first of all check the financial status of your husband before you say that? Your husband has not had a thought of a second wife because he is poor. Wait until your man gets money. That is when you can say that he is faithful,” he said.
Kenya’s marriage laws
Kenya’s Marriage Act of 2014 was a landmark piece of legislation that sought to harmonise various marital traditions, including monogamous, Christian, Hindu, and polygamous unions, the latter often rooted in traditional and Islamic practices.
However, the law has faced scrutiny, particularly from female parliamentarians who argued it undermined gender equality by not requiring spousal consent for additional marriages. A 2015 court ruling further complicated matters, declaring that registering polygamous marriages without the first wife’s consent violates constitutional equality provisions, though the practice persists in many communities.
