Thika experiences upsurge in civil marriages after AG directive

There has been a significant increase in the number of couples seeking to legalize their marriages at the Thika Civil registration office in efforts to comply with the government directive.

            Early last month the Attorney General (AG) Githu Muigai order that all marriages conducted under the African customary law need to be registered so as to comply with section 96 of the marriage act 2014.

According to Thika West Assistant County Commissioner (ACC) Charles Murithi who is spearheading the exercise, civil registration office has been a beehive of activities since the directive was made.

Murithi speaking to KNA in his office on Wednesday said that they have been receiving quite a number of couples per day with an average of 20 marriages being registered which is a significant increase as compared to other months before the directive.

Murithi said that quite a number of people have been opting to have a civil wedding rather than a religious wedding.

couples who registered their marriage at the Thika civil registration office receiving their certificate from Thika West Assistant County Commissioner (ACC) Charles Murithi.

“Civil marriages are no big difference to the church marriages, we do issue the wedding certificates after the exchange of vows   just like in church marriages,” said Murithi

“Since 2015 many couples have walked into our office so as to get their marriage certificates, yesterday only we issued 24 marriage certificate which is quite a number compared to last years,” Murithi said.

He explained that a couple needs a National Identification Card for them to be allowed to have the civil wedding, a 21 days’ notice is given before the official date.

“Before we issue the marriage certificate we issue a 21 day notice where give the couples information including photos on our notice board so as to give time to anyone who wishes to stop the legalization within the 21 days,” added Murithi.

Murithi said that civil marriages are cost effective compared to any other type of weddings as they only require two witnesses.

“A civil wedding is cost effective as we only charge Kshs.5, 000 for the documentation as compared with religious weddings which need a lot of money to entertain guests who at many times are uninvited,” said Murithi.