From Relegation to Elevation

Kenya’s Marriage Act of 2014 was passed with the effect of harmonizing all matrimonial laws in operation in the country into one statute. The Marriage Act provides that all marriages in Kenya have equal legal status, and requires that all marriages, including those concluded under customary law, must be registered. This article analyses how customary marriages have been treated under Kenya’s law in three distinct time periods- the colonial, post-independence and contemporary Kenya. It argues that while customary marriages were treated as inferior during the colonial and post-independence periods, in contemporary Kenya, the Marriage Act has had the effect of elevating customary law marriages so that they are equal to marriages under other systems. Further, the article assesses the status of women married under customary law and demonstrates that the Marriage Act has resulted in the greater protection of the rights of married women in Kenya.