In 2014, a significant legal change took place in Kenya that officially recognised the practice of men marrying multiple wives.
Although the custom of polygamy had been a part of Kenyan culture for generations, this legal shift brought it into a new era. Women also started embracing the second wife role!
In certain communities, being a second or third wife is not uncommon, and this practice is often rooted in tradition and personal beliefs.
Some Kenyan women in the public eye are not ashamed of being in polygamous marriages.
A few have said that their polygamous marriages have been successful for many years. Some women started as second wives but later became the first wife when their husbands divorced their original wives.
Here is a list of 8 Kenyan celebs you didn't know had co-wives
Esther Passaris
Nairobi Woman Representative, Esther Passaris, made headlines in 2016 when she openly disclosed that she was in a polygamous marriage.
Speaking during a KTN interview, Passaris expressed neither pride nor shame in her polygamous setup but emphasised the importance of acceptance and balance.
Passaris husband, Pius Ngugi, is also married to Josephine Wambui Ngugi.
Sabina Chege
Muranga Woman Representative Sabina Chege is the second wife to Maina Gathitu who is the former Dairy Board acting manager.
Their relationship came to light during the 2017 General Elections.
Sabina believes that her family has been one of her greatest supporters and always offer her support when she needs it.
Cate Waruguru
Former Laikipia's Woman Representative, Cate Waruguru, affirmed her status as a second wife during a past KTN interview.
She celebrated her partnership with lawyer William Kigen and expressed her genuine pride in the relationship they had built.
READ: 5 things to know about law that says men must marry 2 or more wives
In 2021, Waruguru's husband, revealed that his bond with Waruguru brewed during a period when he was experiencing challenges in his first marriage.
The couple solidified their relationship by going through the Kikuyu customary marriage process.
Margret Kamar
Uasin Gishu politician Margaret Kamar came out and declared that she was the late Nicholas Biwott’s wife.
During requiem mass in Toot village in 2017, the academician turned politician laid bare her relationship with the former Cabinet Minister.
Kamar was seen holding hands with her co-wives Hannie and Kavista after they had introduced their children.
Suzanna Owiyo
Renowned musician Suzanna Owiyo, who has succeeded in keeping her life private, surprised many when she revealed that she had been married as a second wife for 16 years.
Suzanna and her hubby Eric Ounga a daughter together.
Yvonne Okwara
Citizen TV presenter Yvonne Okwara got married to Matole who is a veterinary surgeon in December 2014 after he separated from his first wife Alice.
Yvonne Okwara has since then kept her relationship away from the limelight.
Mary Kilobi
KTN TV presenter Mary Kilobi came into the limelight when she got married to the trade unionist Francis Atwoli in August 2018.
Their relationship with Kilobi garnered attention due to the significant age difference between them.
Atwoli is married to two other wives; Jenifer Khainza and Roselinder Simiyu.
Mama Ngina Kenyatta
Former First Lady Mama Ngina Kenyatta carries a historical connection to polygamy.
Ngina was married to the first president of the Republic of Kenya, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, in 1957 when she was an 18-year-old. She was his fourth wife.