Fredrick is a Kenyan journalist with years of experience in freelance writing. He worked as a web content writer for various local and international corporations including 4 Wheel Online, Web Partner Group, Wedding Services Kenya, and Decadent Daylilies. He is also an avid blogger, political commentator and human rights crusader.

Charity Mumba, a young Zambian woman has caused a storm on social media, after marrying a “wealthy” 92-year-old White South African man.

A picture from the wedding of 29-year-old Mumba with her elderly bridegroom surfaced on the Internet earlier this week, causing a social media uproar, with some people saying she is a disgrace to African women:

May Sowedi Salman wrote on Facebook:

This is absolutely money not love. The woman is planning to be the heiress to the man’s wealth after his death; actually the woman is babysitting the old man if I can say!!!

However, not everyone is against this marriage as Jibril Ibrahim also wrote on Facebook:

Only God can tell our true intentions. If the man is comfortable with his woman, what is our business?

The senior bridegroom, identified as Mr. Peter Grooves, is said to be a “very rich businessman” who has made a fortune in stocks and shares, although his total worth is unknown.

Old Is Gold

Their wedding is one in a flood of similar weddings in South Africa, where young women, especially from Zambia, are getting married to elderly men (mostly Whites) for money, according to the Daily Mail.

However, this trend is not unique to South Africa as many young African women seem to prefer to date men that are much older. In Kenya, they call them “sponsors” perhaps to clarify that they are in it for financial support.

Nevertheless, some women argue that it’s not just about the money. They say older men are intelligent and know how to treat women better compared to younger men.

Still, many young African men believe the only reason a young woman would be interested in an elderly man is because she is not ready to build a life with a young man who has nothing.

Young African men are also falling in the same trap, though. In August 2015, 28-year-old Ugandan male singer Guvnor Ace also caused a storm on social media, when he wedded a 68-year-old Swedish woman, Mona Lisa.

Responding to a Facebook post about their wedding at the time, Guvnor Ace wrote:

Thank you, my legend, for this encouraging message, many hated on us but love conquered all and the world witnessed this when I put the ring on the woman of my life.

It is not a new phenomenon in African society for a young woman to marry an elderly man. Traditionally, elderly men were allowed to marry younger women when their wives grew older and were unable to bear children.