This archive report was first published on 10 July 2020.
On July 10, 2020, the Kenyan government took a significant step towards preventing the spread of Covid-19 by launching online marriage services for couples.
According to Winnie Guchu, the Chief Administrative Secretary of the State Law Office, the new system will allow couples to access the service on the eCitizen portal, eliminating the need for manual services at the registrar of marriage at Sheria House.
"There will be no more manual services at the registrar of marriage at Sheria House as all services will be available online," Guchu stated.
The registration process will be entirely online, requiring couples to register their details, pay the marriage fee, book a pre-wedding interview, and schedule an appointment for the wedding to be officiated by the registrar.
However, couples will not be allowed to pick their wedding date, and the schedule will have to be adhered to. If not, they will have to book new dates.
After completion of registration on the platform, couples will still be given 21-days' notice for approval, just as it was in the manual process.
The new guidelines also restrict garden weddings to 15 people and private ceremonies at the Attorney General's office to four people.
Only two couples will be allowed to tie the knot per day, and the process will first be rolled out in Nairobi before expanding to other counties.
These measures are in line with the government's efforts to prevent the spread of Covid-19, which led to the suspension of marriage services in May 2020 due to high numbers.
