Uganda – In an extraordinary case of a large family, a Ugandan man, Musa Hasahya Kasero, has made headlines for living with over 700 family members, including 12 wives, 102 children, and 570 grandchildren. The family, which all live together in Uganda, has grown so large that Kasero has jokingly requested the government declare his family its own district.
This story gained attention after an Indian traveler, Harsh (@fearlessnomadiker), visited the family during his travels in Africa. Harsh captured his meeting with the family and shared the footage on Instagram, which quickly went viral. The video shows around 20-30 houses clustered together, sheltering the hundreds of family members. Harsh interviewed the 67-year-old Kasero, learning about his unique family structure and the challenges of managing such a large household.
While large families were common in the past, modern-day trends typically favor smaller families with one or two children. However, Musa Hasahya Kasero has gone against this norm. With 12 wives and 102 children, Kasero’s family rivals some of the largest family clans in the world.
Although Kasero’s family is enormous, it is not officially recognized as the world’s largest family. According to a BBC report, the late Ziona Chana of Mizoram, India, was considered the head of the largest family, with 39 wives and 94 children. Chana passed away in 2021 at the age of 76. However, Kasero surpasses Chana’s family in terms of grandchildren, as he has 570 grandchildren, making his family’s overall size over 700 members.
Viral Video Sparks Debate
The video of Kasero’s family has garnered over 5.5 million views, with many social media users jokingly suggesting that the area should be declared a village or district. Others wondered how Kasero manages to remember all his children’s names and their mothers. One commenter humorously speculated that he might be building an empire of his own.
As the viral video circulates, viewers have been intrigued by the logistics of managing such a massive family. Many have raised questions about how the family deals with day-to-day needs like housing, food, and education for the children.
Life in the Family Compound
In the viral video, a cluster of homes can be seen, accommodating the large family. Kasero explained that they face challenges, particularly regarding space and housing, as there are not enough homes to comfortably accommodate everyone. Despite these issues, the family remains close-knit, with various generations living side by side.
Calls for Recognition
Given the size of his family, Kasero has made a light-hearted request for his family to be recognized as a district, highlighting the unusual circumstances of managing over 700 people under one roof. He also mentioned that providing for such a large family requires significant resources, and more support from local authorities could help in ensuring basic services like education and healthcare for all his children and grandchildren.