In Diani beach, Kilifi County, locals are literally selling their wives to tourists. Yes, besides tourism, the strange kind of trade is said to be booming as locals look to feed on foreigners’ ‘high’ demand for Kenyan women.
Well, Diani beach was recently voted among the best 25 beaches in the world, raising its profile as a top notch tourist destinations in the country.
But beneath the glamorous attributes, lies this thriving bizarre kind of business, allegedly fueled by an allure for quick money by locals who are mostly peasants at best.
It is said that upon visiting and enjoying the goodies of the beaches, tourist would ask beach boys to get them ‘an African lady’ to go back with in their countries at a fee.
Its at this point that beach boys are opting to collude with the wives, technically selling them off to the tourists.
Husbands ‘Selling’ Wives To Tourists In Diani Beach |
In the deal, his wife would go to Germany, find him a German woman who will fly him out of Kenya and both would divorce their foreign partners and reunite upon getting to Europe.
Sande Peti, another beach boy apparently ‘sold’ his wife under similar circumstances. Unlike Mwinyi, He received KSh53,000 as service fee for ostensibly helping the tourist get an African lady.
“Parents and religious leaders have failed to tame the youth resulting in bad morals in the Tourism sector in the area,” Adan Sheikh , the Kilifi County tourism boss is quoted.