This archive report was first published on 11 July 2020.
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the Kenyan government has introduced a unique solution to allow couples to tie the knot online. The new system, launched on a trial basis two weeks ago, has seen the first successful online marriage ceremony take place at Sheria House in Nairobi.
Salome and Wilson Kufuna, the newlyweds, expressed their joy and satisfaction with the online platform, which they found efficient and simple to use. They applied for their marriage certificate on June 17th and received the notification the following day, allowing them to book their wedding date and get married within 20 minutes.
According to State Law Office Chief Administrative Secretary Winnie Guchu, the government suspended marriage services due to the pandemic, leaving 2,551 applications pending. However, since resuming services, only 824 couples have applied, out of the 1,841 couples notified of the resumption.
Before the pandemic, Sheria House received around 400 clients during the low season and 600 during the peak seasons in August and December. The new online system aims to restore services and reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission.
Couples can now apply for their marriage certificate online on the platform, which provides access to all services offered by the Registrar of Marriage. The system requires couples to register on e-citizen and fill out application forms, which will be reviewed and approved within 21 days.
Once the notice has run for 21 days and payment is approved, the system will notify the couple of their appointment date for an interview and verification of documents. All payments will be made online, and the confirmation will trigger the creation of the couple's marriage certificate.
As part of the new system, couples are expected to adhere to Ministry of Health guidelines, including hand-washing and sanitizing, and arrive at least 15 minutes before their scheduled time to avoid crowding.
