This archive report was first published on 11 July 2020.
As the world grapples with the Covid-19 pandemic, the Kenyan government has taken a significant step to mitigate its impact on the country's marriage services. On May 20, the government suspended marriage services due to the surge in applications, leaving 2,551 couples in limbo.
However, with the launch of online marriage services two weeks ago, couples can now apply for marriage certificates remotely, making the process more efficient and convenient.
Salome and Wilson Kufuna, who tied the knot on July 10, were among the first couples to benefit from the new system. They applied online on June 17 and received their marriage certificate within 20 minutes.
"We used the online platform, and it was efficient. It was a simple process, and the forms only took us a few minutes to fill," Salome said.
The online system, developed in collaboration with e-citizen, allows couples to register, fill out application forms, and make payments online. Once the notice period has expired, the couple is notified of their appointment date and expected to arrive at least 15 minutes before their scheduled time for an interview and verification of documents.
State Law Office Chief Administrative Secretary Winnie Guchu explained that the system is designed to restore marriage services while adhering to the Ministry of Health's guidelines to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
"We got the Ministry of Health to inspect our premises, and they gave us strict guidelines for our operations. We have worked with e-citizen to put up a platform which offers all the services given by the Registrar of Marriage. There will no longer be manual services," Guchu said.
