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The government has directed that those intending to tie the knot under customary law will be required to first seek authorization from the government.
The new orders issued by Attorney General Githu Muigai means those in unions made under customary or Hindu ceremonies must now register their unification by August 1st.
"Parties who wish to contract customary marriage from the operative date herein must obtain prior authorization from the Office of the Registrar of Marriages. Marriage certificates shall be issued to parties upon successful application," said the AG in a Gazette notice.
"Parties who wish to enter into Hindu marriage must obtain prior authorization from the Office of the Registrar of Marriages through a Registrar's certificate or a special license as the case may be," he said.
Further, all ministers of faith under the Hindu Religion must now "apply through the Hindu Council of Kenya to the Registrar of Marriages for a license that will allow them be able to unite couples under Hindu Marriage.
Marriage Act of 2014 recognizes four types of marriages; Christian, Muslim, Hindu, civil and customary and states that couples who get married through customary law must register their marriages with the government within three weeks.
"The parties to a customary marriage shall notify the Registrar of such marriage within three months of completion of the relevant ceremonies or steps required to confer the status of marriage to the parties in the community concerned," says the Marriage Act 2014.
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What is the urgency for? let people take their time to get married. Sounds like at a later time the government will also want those divorcing to do so within a specific time slot...
kenjuu there is need for standardization of marriage in kenya for the simple reason of uniform application of marriage laws. The only concern you might have is the amount of money being paid for one to obtain a marriage certificate and whether it is affordable to everyone. however, it is prudent to note that this issues come up during succession processes and if one is found to have conducted customary law without having to register their marriage the court in his wisdom or lack of it will not recognise one as the wife or husband hence cannot inherit the estate of the deceased.
How does the government plan to enforce the nonsensical requirement "that couples who get married through customary law must register their marriages with the government within three weeks."??? If government forces and administrative personnel can't identify Al Shabaab terrorists rooming around freely before they slaughter innocent people, how will they identify couples who decided to wed by customary law or decide to "come we live together" and, most of all, know the date when such weddings took place so as to enforce the three weeks rule??? If the government can't arrest and successfully prosecute corrupt daylight thieves in government or end the evil menace of Al Shabaab, now it gonna legislate and enforce when and how people decide to live together as husband and wife; or father and mother?? This is complete idiosy!!!