Do not demonise polygamy
Feb 14, 2010
EDITOR—It is appalling how the so-called moralists have demonised polygamy. It is a kind of crusade that will not bear fruit in the context of natural law.
EDITOR—It is appalling how the so-called moralists have demonised polygamy. It is a kind of crusade that will not bear fruit in the context of natural law.
For instance, what would be more justifiable? To have strings of divorces or one keeping an extra relationship sanctioned by community (polygamy)?
Polygamy per se is not prohibited in any religious laws. The only issue we need to tackle is how to mainstream polygamy with HIV/AIDS and other factors that affect the socio-economics of the community and the country as a whole. For instance, it was not proper for a poor and irresponsible man in the community to marry a second woman. There were well-laid out procedures of engaging in another relationship, which the Sharia law of Muslims defines explicitly.
It is from the above argument, that I think we need to leave such aspects of life to be managed by the community, not Parliament or legislations.
Common law should always be above legal law in some circumstances that protect the social fabric of our culture and country. The so-called Western friends impose propositions that break down our well-laid out social norms.
It is time we countered some of this top-down ideas. For instance, why is it that sub-Saharan Africa, which is Christian and practically monogamous per se, has the highest number of new HIV infections and prevalence rate than northern Africa which is polygamous? This is my thinking. Polygamy was meant to curtail promiscuity and keep the men too busy to think about joining a sexual network.
Some of us have gone so far as to use polygamy, which is even directly practised in the Western world through serialised divorces and remarrying to source for funds, without considering the positive sides of such a practice.
I advise Ugandans to research and find out how our traditions survived in some situations for solutions, instead of the copy and paste culture.
George Aluzimbi
Sociologist
For instance, what would be more justifiable? To have strings of divorces or one keeping an extra relationship sanctioned by community (polygamy)?
Polygamy per se is not prohibited in any religious laws. The only issue we need to tackle is how to mainstream polygamy with HIV/AIDS and other factors that affect the socio-economics of the community and the country as a whole. For instance, it was not proper for a poor and irresponsible man in the community to marry a second woman. There were well-laid out procedures of engaging in another relationship, which the Sharia law of Muslims defines explicitly.
It is from the above argument, that I think we need to leave such aspects of life to be managed by the community, not Parliament or legislations.
Common law should always be above legal law in some circumstances that protect the social fabric of our culture and country. The so-called Western friends impose propositions that break down our well-laid out social norms.
It is time we countered some of this top-down ideas. For instance, why is it that sub-Saharan Africa, which is Christian and practically monogamous per se, has the highest number of new HIV infections and prevalence rate than northern Africa which is polygamous? This is my thinking. Polygamy was meant to curtail promiscuity and keep the men too busy to think about joining a sexual network.
Some of us have gone so far as to use polygamy, which is even directly practised in the Western world through serialised divorces and remarrying to source for funds, without considering the positive sides of such a practice.
I advise Ugandans to research and find out how our traditions survived in some situations for solutions, instead of the copy and paste culture.
George Aluzimbi
Sociologist