Types of marriages legally recognised in Kenya
By Valerian Khakayi, April 19, 2026Gen Z is known for defying the norm, and recently, the country witnessed a wedding that captured this spirit when TikTokers Mkamba and Chichi held a night ceremony broadcast live on TikTok.
The event sparked online conversations about modern relationships, marriage traditions, and what the law in Kenya actually recognises as a valid marriage.
Legally recognised marriages
According to the Office of the Attorney General and Department of Justice, there are five main types of marriages in Kenya under the Marriage Act, 2014, which are the only legally recognised forms of marriage, each governed by specific legal, cultural, or religious rules.
“The Marriage Act, 2014, recognises five (5) systems of Marriage, namely: Civil Marriages, Christian Marriages, Hindu Marriages, Customary Marriages and Islamic marriages,” the Registrar of Marriages stated.
Civil marriages are conducted by a Registrar of Marriages and are strictly monogamous. They are non-religious and are often preferred by couples who want a formal legal union without cultural or religious ceremonies.
Christian marriages, on the other hand, are conducted in church by licensed ministers and are also monogamous in nature, requiring registration after the ceremony.
While Customary marriages are conducted according to the traditions of a particular community and are widely practised among different ethnic groups in Kenya.
These unions may also be potentially polygamous, depending on cultural practices. Islamic marriages are conducted under Islamic law by an Imam or Kadhi, while Hindu marriages follow Hindu rites and ceremonies.
Who can get married
According to the Office of the Attorney General, the Marriage Act, 2014 defines marriage as a voluntary union of a man and a woman, whether in a monogamous or polygamous union, and registered under the Act.
The office further stated that in Kenya, one can get married if they are aged 18 years or above, are in an opposite-sex relationship, are not already married or in a civil partnership with someone else, and are capable of understanding the meaning of marriage and giving consent.
“The Marriage Act, 2014, defines a marriage as a voluntary union of a man and a woman, whether in a monogamous or polygamous union and registered under this Act,” the Registrar of Marriages stated.
“You can get married in Kenya if you are aged 18 or over and you are in an opposite-sex relationship. You are not married or in a civil partnership with someone else. You are capable of understanding what marriage means and of consenting to marriage.”
As conversations around modern relationships continue to evolve, especially among young people on platforms like TikTok, the law remains clear: only the five recognised systems of marriage are valid in Kenya, regardless of how or where a ceremony is conducted.