I have several things to contribute on the discussion above:
1) What exactly is unchristian about "wife inheritence"?
PS: I am not asking about what is "uncivilized" or "backward" (not modern) or "un-European"....just what is unchristian, full stop.
-Rape or forced marriages of any sort are unchristian, the relations among the two persons notwithstanding.
-Polygamy is also deemed unchristian
But there is nothing at all in Christianity (or Judaism) that says a woman cannot marry the male relative of her dead spouse, nor a man the female relative of his dead wife. (Mark you, it happens both ways).
So, a few questions:
-Why exactly should Owuor condemn it? Because it is old and mideaval, or because God himself does not want it?
Considering that God commanded the Jews to do it, there really is no way to state flatly that the practice is immoral per se. You may argue it is immoral in some situations based on the reason (that you think) God commanded it of the Jews. Now consider, God commanded male circumcision. But we know the Apostles rubbished it as useless for Christians, threw out the debate by those Jewish christians who insisted on it for non-Jews in the name of God. Owuor would therefore have a hard time lecturing anyone on a moral law that comes only from his human wisdom. After all, Luos may also require that Kyuk, Gusii,Luhya, etc pastors condemn the "unchristian" circumcision of boys by so many Kenyan self-proclaimed Christians.
-Even if it was contrary to Christianity (and it is not, unless Christianity is synonymous with modernity or Europeanism), why is it Owuor's duty alone? I am 100% sure that the Catholic Church has more followers among the Luo than Owuor. Not to mention SDA, Anglican, Legio Maria etc etc...the works. Why is this Owuor's duty only? Because he is a luo? Secondly, Owuor's following is vast across the various tribes. I dont understand why he has a special duty to cater to his Luo flock over his non-luo folk. In other words, you are making his tribe central to him as a pastor. That does not seem right. Remember, there is neither Jew, nor Greek, nore slave, nor freeman....etc etc I am sure you know the verse.
2) Just how prevalent is this practice, anyway, really? I have Luo in-laws through many "corners" of our family and among all of their families (extended), I have heard of only one incident where it happened. And it was a girl who married the husband of her elder sister (deceased). Mark you, I though it was a wise move in that particular situation. Her sister had left behind two small children who would have ended up in the hands of a woman who may not have felt any sense of genuine affection for them. Her children adore her (You would not know if no one told you "mom" is not really mom) and the two families stayed together. Now, grown, very happy and well-adjusted young adults, no one thinks twice about this having been the right move for this particular family. On what basis would Owuor (or yourself) lecture this family? That this is not how your particular family does things?
Rape or force ought to be condemned, but i would not venture to condemn cultural differences in the name of God. What God thinks of as intrinsic evil has nothing to do with what various cultures think are good or bad. God has no problems with people marrying the spouses of their dead siblings. The modern approach to dating and courting is just that, modern. Arranged marriages, "spouse-inheritence" or other forms of matching couples are wholly acceptable ways, as far as Christianity goes. Neither is more Christian than the other. The only thing that matters to Christianity is that (1) a true consent is given (or else the marriage is not a real marriage/sacramental/christian). (2)no "unlawful" coupling takes place (incest, polygamy, gay marriage, or "marriage" with a non-human (it happens in some places India!) etc etc).
Thereis danger here in engaging in an age-old vice that christians have been (unfortunately) perpetrating on other Christians that churches have offered apologies for and are trying to make ammends for: one culture imposing itself on another in the name of Christianity as if the faith is the same thing as a particular human culture among thousands of human cultures.
FGM is clearly harmful. It is therfore contrary to charity to do it to children and christians can legitimately be against it in the name of charity).
Besides such fundamandos, no one has the right to impose cultural mores on people who do not belong to that culture.
On another note, the laws of the Mosaic covenant have nothing to do with Christianity, as Christians are not Israelites. It was a contract entered into by God with a specific people, the Hebrews (Hence the "chosen people" moniker). Neither Jews nor Chriostians believe that non-Israelites are bound by the terms of that covenant, though both believe that parts of that covenant were part of the natural universal law binding on all humans (like thou shalt not kill).