By Benadeta Mwaura - Reporter
Kenya, 16 April 2026 - Kenya is facing a growing administrative bottleneck in the registration of marriages, with a section of religious leaders warning that a shortage of marriage certificates is now discouraging many couples, especially young people, from formalising their unions.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the leaders said the challenges in accessing certificates and delays in processing have made the legalisation of marriages increasingly difficult, raising concerns over the long-term impact on families and society.
“For some time now, we have been experiencing difficulties in the legal process of civil registration and legalisation of marriage,” read part of the statement, adding that “the process of notification and obtaining certificates has become unnecessarily arduous.”
They went further to highlight a more immediate concern, confirming that the country is now experiencing an outright shortage of marriage certificates, a situation they say is already having social consequences.
“Moreover, we are now experiencing a shortage of marriage certificates… This is bound to cause a moral dent to society and risks depriving the weaker spouses of their legal rights,” they added.
At the centre of the issue is a transition in how marriage certificates are issued in Kenya.
Earlier in 2026, the Office of the Attorney General announced the discontinuation of manual printing of marriage documents, shifting the process fully to the government’s digital platform, eCitizen.
Under the new system, all Registrar’s Certificates and special licences for civil, Christian, and Hindu marriages are generated and downloaded online.
While the move was intended to streamline services and improve efficiency, the bishops say the transition has instead exposed inefficiencies, with applicants facing slow clearance processes and delays that do not align with planned wedding dates.
“The clearance process is slow and at times insensitive to the time and dates set,” the bishops noted, pointing to growing frustration among couples navigating the system.
Beyond the administrative hurdles, the clergy framed the issue as a constitutional matter, citing Constitution of Kenya 2010, specifically Article 45, which recognises the family as the “natural and fundamental unit of society.”
According to the religious leaders, delays and shortages in marriage certification risk undermining this constitutional principle by weakening the institution of marriage and leaving unions without legal protection.
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A marriage in Kenya is only considered legally valid once it has been properly solemnised and registered, including the issuance of an official certificate. Without this documentation, couples may find themselves in legally vulnerable positions, particularly in matters of inheritance, custody, and spousal rights.
The clergy warned that the ongoing challenges are already influencing behaviour, with fewer couples opting for formal marriages due to the bureaucratic hurdles involved.
“These conditions have discouraged many from contracting marriage,” said one of the religious leaders, noting that the trend could have broader implications for social stability.
The concern is particularly pronounced among young people, who are increasingly opting for informal unions rather than navigating a system perceived as slow and unpredictable.
The concerns raised by the bishops also reflect a wider issue within Kenya’s civil registration system, where delays in accessing key documents, including national IDs, passports, birth, and death certificates, have been a recurring challenge.
While the government has made efforts to digitise services and reduce turnaround times, including setting timelines for document processing, implementation gaps continue to affect service delivery on the ground.
The religious leaders have now called on the government to urgently address both the shortage of certificates and inefficiencies in the registration process, warning that failure to act could erode confidence in formal institutions of marriage.
Their message is clear: this is not just an administrative inconvenience.
It is a structural issue affecting legal rights, social order, and the integrity of one of society’s most fundamental institutions.
Religious Leaders Raise Alarm Over Marriage Certificate Shortage as Delays Discourage Unions
Delays in marriage registration risk undermining family unit in Kenya