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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Abigail O'Leary

Man with 102 children says he can't afford any more as his 12 wives go on birth control

A man who has fathered 102 children say's he's finally had enough and he cannot afford to have any more.

Musa Hasahya Kasera admits to not knowing all of his children's names - and has even less recall when it comes to remembering the names of his staggering 578 grandchildren.

The Ugandan father has had his huge brood with 12 wives, whose names he also admits to forgetting.

However with such an enormous family Musa, 68, has finally said 'enough is enough' as he calls time on his reproductive journey - with children now ranging in age from 10 to 50, while his youngest wife is about 35.

His wives are now also said to be taking birth control to stop the family growing further.

Speaking from his village of Bugisa in the Butaleja district of Uganda, he said: "At first it was a joke, but now this has it's problems".

Musa Hasahya (C-back) sits with some of his children and grandchildren outside their family home in Butaleja district in Eastern Uganda (AFP via Getty Images)

"With my health failing and merely two acres of land for such a huge family, two of my wives left because I could not afford the basics like food, education, clothing."

Musa has now also become a small tourist attraction, with people travelling to meet him and members of his enormous family.

Many of the family now live largely in a dilapidating house made from corrugated iron - while many others live in about two dozen grass-thatched mud huts nearby.

Musa married his first wife in 1972 at a traditional ceremony when they were both 17 and his first child Sandra Nabwire was born a year later.

Musa Hasahya poses for a picture outside their family home (AFP via Getty Images)

He added: "Because we were born only two of us, I was advised by my brother, relatives and friends to marry many wives to produce many children to expand our family heritage."

Musa also said he became popular with families looking to marry their daughters off due to his status as a successful cattle traders.

He said he regularly had families offering him their daughters' hand in marriage - some even below the age of 18.

Musa Hasahya (C) poses for a picture with his wives outside their family home (AFP via Getty Images)

Child marriage was only banned in Uganda in 1995, while polygamy is allowed in the East African country - according to certain religious traditions.

Musa says he now has to consult one of his sons, Shaban Magino, a 30-year-old primary school teacher who helps run the family's affairs and is one of the few to have received an education.

To keep as much harmony amongst the children as possible and settle disputes, Musa says they have monthly family meetings.

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