Musa Hasahya Kasera, a 70-year-old resident of Bugisa village in Uganda’s Butaleja District, known for his extraordinarily large family of 12 wives, 102 children, and 578 grandchildren, has revealed that his wives are now using birth control to prevent further growth of their family.
The decision comes as Kasera struggles with severe financial and logistical challenges in supporting his vast household.
Kasera, a former cattle trader and butcher, began his family in 1972 at age 17 when he married his first wife, Hanifa.
Over the years, he took 11 additional wives, with his youngest, Zulaika, aged around 35, mothering 11 of his children. His children range in age from 10 to 50, and his 578 grandchildren make his family one of the largest documented in the world.
The sprawling household resides in a deteriorated compound in Bugisa, a rural village of approximately 4,000 people, where they occupy over 100 iron-sheet houses.
In recent interviews, Kasera admitted that the rising cost of living, coupled with his unemployment and declining health, has made it impossible to provide adequately for his family.
“I can’t even remember all my children’s names anymore,” he told local media. “My wives are now on birth control because we cannot afford to keep growing the family.”
Kasera noted that some of his wives began using contraceptives independently, reflecting a shift toward family planning amid economic hardship.
The family relies on subsistence farming on their two-acre plot, growing crops like cassava, maize, and coffee. However, food shortages are common, with Kasera estimating that they consume up to 30 kilograms of maize flour daily.
Many of his children have only primary-level education due to financial constraints, and several daughters have left home to marry, some into polygamous unions.
Kasera’s eldest son, Zabron Wekiya, aged 50, has followed in his father’s footsteps with three wives and 25 children, further expanding the family’s footprint.
Local authorities in Butaleja District have expressed concern over the family’s situation, urging Kasera to adopt sustainable practices.
“We’ve advised him on family planning and economic empowerment, but the family’s size poses unique challenges,” said district official Moses Wako.
“I regret not listening to advice about family planning earlier,” Kasera reflected. “But I’m grateful my wives are taking steps to stop this now.”