Love rivals sign contract to share woman

Two Kenyan men on Sunday agreed to share a woman in a written contract in which they vowed never to fight over her, Africa Review reported.

The pair from Kisauni in the coastal Mombasa County, made the deal after realising they have both been having an affair with the woman for more than four years.

Community policing officer Adhalah Abdulrahman said he came to know of the two during a fight.

"I heard people fighting and went to check, but I was surprised to see two men fighting over a woman who is said to be a widow and a mother of twins. I tried solving the issue but they refused, each insisting he could not live without the woman," said Mr Abdulrahman.

When asked to make a choice, the woman also declined, saying she could not live without either of the men. This made the men agree to take turns to live with her.

Mr Sylvester Mwendwa, one of the 'husbands', said they decided to share the woman with Mr Elijah Kimani.

Mr Mwendwa claimed he went to the woman's parents and was given permission to live with her and pay bride price when he was ready.

Whereas polygamy - one man having more than one wife - is legal in Kenya and widely practised by various communities, polyandry - one woman having more than one husband - is almost unheard of.

Lawyers said the two men would have to prove that it has been part of their custom to practise polyandry, otherwise the union would not stand.

Ms Judy Thongori, a family lawyer told the Nation that polyandry is more abnormal than illegal since the laws that govern marriage in Kenya do not clearly forbid it.