Kenya’s state law office has doubled marriage fees as it seeks to collect more cash from anticipated rise in customary listings.
Couples seeking to legalize their union will pay Sh 600 to notify the Attorney General’s office, a triple jump in costs.
The rules published Friday also indicates marriage fee have shot up to Sh 2,000 from sh 1,500 while access to marriage certificate will cost Sh 500 from previous Sh 200.
New couples yet to register should therefore arm themselves with a total Sh 3,100 to comply with the law from a previous low of sh 1,900.
Kenyans in the diaspora will pay Sh 10,000 in marriage fee from Sh 5,000.
Traditional marriages are the main target of the new changes after President Uhuru Kenyatta signed into law The marriage Act 2014 in April-requiring registration of customary unions done six months after completion of marital ceremonies.
Failure to register, the new law considers a union invalid-giving spouse cover to expand into a polygamy.
