In March 2014, Kenya’s Parliament passed a bill allowing men to marry multiple wives. … The act also defines marriage as “the voluntary union of a man and a woman whether in a monogamous or polygamous union registered under the Act”.
Can a legally married man marry another woman?
Bigamy is a subset of polygamy. Bigamy can either be polygyny (where a man marries more than one woman) or polyandry (where a woman marries more than one man). … The Black’s Law Dictionary defined bigamy as ‘the act of marrying one person while still legally married to another’.
Can I have two marriage certificates Kenya?
A new law that went into effect in Kenya this week makes it legal for a man to marry as many women as he wants. … “Marriage is the voluntary union of a man and a woman whether in a monogamous or polygamous union,” Kenyatta said in a statement.
Can a man marry two wives at the same time?
When a man is married to more than one wife at the same time, sociologists call this polygyny. … In societies which allow or tolerate polygamy, in the vast majority of cases the form accepted is polygyny.
Does civil marriage allow polygamy in Kenya?
Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta has signed into law a controversial marriage bill legalising polygamy. It brings civil law, where a man was only allowed one wife, into line with customary law, where some cultures allow multiple partners.
What happens if you marry someone who is already married?
If two people enter into a marriage when one of them is still legally married to someone else, the state will invalidate the new marriage. … If a same-sex couple gets married but one spouse is still married to another person, the second marriage is invalid. Bigamy laws apply to all forms of marriage.
How many wives can a Kenyan man have?
Sections 2, 3 and 6 of Kenya’s Marriage Act No. 4 of 2014 allow a man to have more than one wife. Section 2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—”polygamy” means the state or practice of a man having more than one wife simultaneously.
Is it illegal to marry a second wife?
Committing bigamy in the United States is against the law in every state, and those who engage in it can be subject to both criminal and civil penalties. Civil law treats this concept somewhat differently than criminal law. Because your second marriage is illegal, it is considered void because it legally cannot exist.
What is having two wives called?
Polygamy usually takes the form of polygyny – when a man marries multiple women. Polyandry, which refers to wives having more than one husband, is even rarer than polygamy and mostly documented among small and relatively isolated communities around the world.
Is it wrong to have two wives?
Having more than one wife may cause some serious heartache. Men who are polygamous face more than quadruple the risk of having blocked heart vessels, compared with men married to one woman, new research suggests.
What is Endogamy marriage?
endogamy, also called in-marriage, custom enjoining one to marry within one’s own group. The penalties for transgressing endogamous restrictions have varied greatly among cultures and have ranged from death to mild disapproval. When marriage to an outside group is mandated, it is referred to as exogamy.
What does the Bible say about a man having multiple wives?
John Gill comments on 1 Corinthians 7 and states that polygamy is unlawful; and that one man is to have but one wife, and to keep to her; and that one woman is to have but one husband, and to keep to him and the wife only has a power over the husband’s body, a right to it, and may claim the use of it: this power over …
Can one have two marriage certificate?
While polygamy was not illegal, a marriage certificate could be issued only for a monogamous union.