A woman in Amugagara, Kumel in Mukura sub-county, Ngora district is married to three men, who all live in one compound.
The 36-year-old Ann Grace Aguti has attracted the wrath of her father, Pastor Peter Ogwang alias Ikwenyar of Christ Foundation Ministries, who mobilized clan members to intervene, saying the practice is unacceptable in the Teso community.
However, the men; Richard Alich, John Peter Oluka, and Michael Enyaku, told Sunday Vision that they have no problem with the arrangement.
They regard Aguti as the head of the family, dine together during meals and obey her instructions, including observing the conjugal rights roster. Aguti has allocated three out of the seven tiny huts in her compound to the three men.
Apparently, Aguti had more men but dismissed some due to lack of discipline.
How they met
Alich, a widower, is a retired police officer with 10 grown-up children. Oluka, alias Abaafu, is a fairly well-off peasant, who has a home in the same village.
Enyaku is a senior bachelor, who also has land and a home in another village. Alich told Sunday Vision that he met Aguti when she was returning home from Brac Uganda, Ngora branch, where she had gone to process a loan.
“Her bicycle had developed a mechanical problem, so I offered to repair it. In the process, one thing led to another and I found myself here. I stay in that hut,” Alich said pointing at his place of abode.
Oluka, the other husband, told Sunday Vision that being from the same village, he knew Aguti had a number of men.
“I met her at a swamp where I was grazing my cows and joked about her taking me on as a husband too — and that was it. She allocated me a hut,” he said.
“We have lived harmoniously for close to a year now. I have no problem with my co-husbands. The consensus among us is that mummy (Aguti) determines the duty (sex) roster and her decision is final,” Oluka said.
Enyaku said he was the first among the current husbands to arrive in Aguti’s home and believes he is the favorite.
“When I came to her home, I found other men already husbanding her, but she chased them away because she reserves the right to admit anyone of her choice. I also strongly believe her pregnancy is mine,” he said.
Aguti, who is a mother of three, is currently six months pregnant. She earns a living by selling cooked cow trotters ( emolokony ).
It is not clear who the father of her pregnancy is because Enyaku is not the only one claiming responsibility. It is said that Aguti also has a host of other lovers.
Aguti responds
Aguti said she should not be taken for a village whore because she is not. “I was married before in a manner my classmates want,” she explained.
“But my desire is to have a tender loving husband, who can provide all my needs as a housewife. My husband was useless and I remained the breadwinner. When I left him, I started looking for that special someone, but I have not yet found him because even now, I have to feed the men that I have. So, my search continues!
Chasing the Husbands Away
Aguti’s father sought the help of his clan and LC1 committee, who met last week to plot a way forward.
They resolved to mobilize strong kinsmen to surround Aguti’s compound in the wee hours and arrest the husbands. They also resolved to expel them from her house. However, when they arrived, they were met with resistance and Aguti defended herself during an exchange with her father.
“Dad, I am an adult with a home. It is my right to have the three men who, fortunately, understand each other,” Aguti declared before asking: “Who among you, dad inclusive, will take me as a wife now that you are chasing away my husbands?”
That was an abominable suggestion because one is not allowed to marry from the same clan. Ogwang first tried to charm his incensed daughter into reasoning.
“My daughter, listen. I am worried about you as your father. Do you remember Ejuge and how we struggled to save your life? How we apprehended him as he tried to slaughter you with a sickle? What if we had killed him! How would we have handled the retribution from his relatives?” he asked.
Ogwang also reminded her of the time her fourth and fifth husbands, Otim and John Ebwaare, violently clashed before Otim turned his anger on Aguti.
However, Aguti refused to be cowed. She told the classmates that when she returned home after her marriage in Asamuk, Amuria failed, her father gave her land on which to build.
She said she understood that gesture to mean that the land was hers and that whatever happens in her compound was none of her father’s business.
The ruling
The local council and clan ruled that each of the men returns to their respective villages. They were also told that if they want to return as husbands, they should come officially with identification and introduce themselves to the local authorities at Amugagara.
Upon that statement, Aguti wailed: “My dear husbands, I love you so much. I am not the one chasing you, but your father-in-law and his clan. Please do not forget me wherever you go. You have been my pillars in this large home of ours. Please keep checking on me because I may die of loneliness in the house.”
The three men left, vowing to return after getting the required credentials. And it was not a joke. This week, Enyaku has already returned with duly signed letters and by the time of filing this story, he had re-settled with Aguti.