This archive report was first published on 10 July 2020.
July 10, 2020 - In a bid to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the Office of the Attorney General has launched a digital platform for marriage registration services in Kenya.
According to Winnie Guchu, the Chief Administrative Secretary of the State Law office, the new e-registration platform will enable both Kenyan and foreign nationals to initiate and complete the process of registration of marriage services online.
This move is aimed at reducing human traffic and supporting efforts to combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, the Registry was serving an average of 600 clients daily, but with the new system, couples will only visit the registrar's office on the final day after all other processes have been concluded online.
With the new system, couples will log in to oag.ecitizen.go.ke to fill registration forms, which will be notified within a period of 21 days. After uploading their documents, the couple will be required to make payments online, and once the 21-day period lapses, the couple will be notified online and an appointment date for visiting the Registrar will be scheduled for them.
On the marriage day, the couple will only be accompanied by two witnesses, and the registrar will officiate the ceremony within 20 minutes. The marriage registry has also announced an end to cash transactions, and couples must wear masks and sanitize.
The services, which are currently limited to Nairobi residents, will be decentralized to other regions in August.
