There was wild jubilation in different parts of Kenya today as men and women in their thousands danced in their homes and along the roads after president Uhuru Kenyatta signed on a law allowing men in Kenya to marry as many wives as they want.

Kenyatta signed a controversial bill into law on Tuesday despite criticism from some women groups.

The women and men, especially peasants cerebrated, saying that women are many while men are few. For a man to marry one wife it means most of the women would not get husbands.

A news statement from the presidency confirmed that the bill, which “consolidates various laws relating to marriage in Kenya”, had been signed into law.

The bill, which amended existing legislation, was passed by Kenyan parliament last month to formalise traditional practice regarding marrying more than one person.

“Marriage is the voluntary union of a man and a woman, whether in a monogamous or polygamous union,” the presidential statement said. The bill indicates that the women have no right to veto the husband’s choice.

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