A Family Too Big to Count
In the small Ugandan village of Bugisa, one man’s family has grown so large he can no longer remember most of their names. Musa Hasahya Kasera, 68, is the head of a household unlike any other: 12 wives, 102 children, and 578 grandchildren. What began as a local curiosity has become an overwhelming struggle to provide food, clothing, and shelter for hundreds.
A Marriage Tradition That Grew Out of Control
Hasahya married his first wife in 1972 at 17. Encouraged by relatives to expand the family line, he took more wives, many attracted by his former success as a cattle trader and butcher. By the late 1980s, his household had grown rapidly, each new marriage bringing more mouths to feed. Today, only ten of his wives remain with him, and some live in nearby villages due to overcrowding.
A Life of Shortages and Shared Meals
The family survives on two acres of land, where they grow cassava and raise a few animals. Meals are scarce. At noon, Hasahya gathers the family for boiled cassava, often their only meal of the day. “The food is barely enough,” says Zabina, his third wife. Many children fetch water, gather firewood, or do chores for neighbors to earn food. The home itself is a collection of worn huts and one crumbling house.
Keeping Order Among Hundreds
With so many relatives, confusion is constant. Hasahya keeps notebooks filled with birth details to track his children, and often relies on the mothers to remind him of names. Monthly family meetings are held to resolve disputes. Local officials say that despite hardship, the family lives peacefully. Now, all of Hasahya’s wives use contraceptives, and he says he has learned his lesson. “I don’t expect to have more children,” he admits, “because I cannot look after the ones I already have.”
Meet Musa Hasahya Kasera, a Ugandan villager whose family grew so vast he cannot recall most names.
He says he has 12 wives, 102 children, and 578 grandchildren.
Food, school, space, and simple math became impossible. Now he says the expansion stops…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/Qhjd8HKV2r
— Fascinating True Stories (@FascinatingTrue) October 26, 2025