In a small village in Njombe, Tanzania, 86-year-old Mzee Ernesto Muinuchi Kapinga leads a family that resembles a small town.
With 16 wives, 104 children, and 144 grandchildren, his homestead is a bustling community where everyone has a role to play.
Kapinga’s journey into marriage started in 1961 when he married his first wife. A year later, he had his first child. However, his father urged him to expand their clan, even offering to pay the dowries for additional wives.
Taking his father’s advice to heart, Kapinga eventually married 20 women at the peak of his life. While some wives left or passed away, he still lives with 16, including seven sisters who chose to marry him after hearing about his respectful and responsible nature.
Despite what many might assume, jealousy is not an issue in Kapinga’s household. Each wife has her own home and kitchen, and responsibilities are divided efficiently. “This is not just a home; it is a system, and it works,” Kapinga explains. The family farms together, eats together, and resolves conflicts through open discussions.
His wives describe him as a fair and understanding husband, someone who listens to their concerns rather than dictating rules. If disagreements arise, they are either resolved among themselves or brought to Kapinga for guidance.
Providing for hundreds of family members is no small feat, but Kapinga’s household is entirely self-sufficient. They cultivate crops like corn, beans, cassava, and bananas, relying on farming and livestock for food. Any surplus is either traded or sold.
While Kapinga admits he sometimes forgets some of his children's and grandchildren’s names, he remembers them when he sees their faces. Tragically, he has lost 40 children to illness and accidents, but he remains focused on the well-being of his large family. “This family runs because of the women,” he says. “I am only here to guide them.”
