Kenya Set To Ban Bride Price Payment, Legalise Polygamy And Co-habitation

«§» 11 November 2012

All things being equal, Kenyan government might soon make a law which will ban the payment of bride price, legalise polygamy and allow couples to co-habit for a certain period after which they will be considered legally married.



The controversial proposals have been approved by the cabinet, but will not become law until passed by parliament. As an excuse for this proposal, the cabinet said the bill aimed to offer legal protection to all forms of marriages in the country – Christian, Islamic, Hindu, civil and traditional; it is intended to give women and children protection under the law.

BBC’s Muliro Telewa in the capital, Nairobi, says the decision to stop the age-old custom of bride price is one of the most contentious of the proposals to harmonise the East African nation’s marriage laws. Bride prices are commonly paid by most of Kenya’s more than 40 ethnic groups.

Current customary law stipulates that a marriage is not considered legal unless a bride price has been paid, usually in the form of cows. Even couples married in a religious or civil ceremony will often not be considered bound in the traditional sense by their families unless a payment is made. Also, under the new proposals, co-habiting couples in what are known in Kenya as “come-we-stay” relationships will be considered married after a six-month period.

The proposals on legalising polygamy are intended to bring civil law – where a man is only allowed one wife – in line with customary law where some cultures allow for multiple partners. This will also give women protection under the law from being abandoned by so-called “serial polygamists”.

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Posted: at 11-11-2012 04:39 AM (12 years ago) | Hero

aha wetin come be my own for inside i be Kenyan?

Posted: at 11-11-2012 05:18 PM (12 years ago) | Gistmaniac

 

Posted: at 11-11-2012 06:57 PM (12 years ago) | Hero

Go n inform Obama naaa. He is from there, am not kenyan. I dont like that

Posted: at 11-11-2012 07:29 PM (12 years ago) | Newbie

Posted: at 11-11-2012 07:51 PM (12 years ago) | Grande Master

Lool

Posted: at 11-11-2012 08:47 PM (12 years ago) | Hero

Hehehehehe

Posted: at 11-11-2012 10:23 PM (12 years ago) | Gistmaniac

Ok

Posted: at 11-11-2012 11:38 PM (12 years ago) | Hero

IF AMERICA APPROVE SAME SEX MARRIAGE WHAT IS WRONG IN LEGALIZING POLYGAMY, IF A WOMAN DECIDE TO SHARE ONE MAN THATS THEIR RIGHT SO GO FOR IT KENYA THE WHOLE WORLD HAVE TURN TO SODOM AND GOMORRAH. IF YOU LIVE IN THE UNITED STATE AND RESIDE IN ONE OF THOSE STATES  THAT LEGALISE GAY MARRIAGE, YOU CAN MARRY SAME SEX AND  FILE YOUR PAPERS WITH IMMIGRATION. EVEN YOUR OWN RELATIVE.

Posted: at 12-11-2012 01:14 AM (12 years ago) | Upcoming

Dumbass liar, if you marry the same sex, you can not file for papers with immigration, you dummy. State laws are different from Federal laws you uneducated knucklhead. I was born in DC and still live in DC so I know (Maryland is one of the state that voted for question 7 which was for or against same sex marriage - by the way fool, the states of Maryland and Virginia donated DC and from any where in DC, it should not take more more 20 minutes to be in MD -Maryland or VA - Virginia). Next time, come correct with your story, you ass licker. Just as I hate the approval of same sex marriage, I hate the legalization of polygamy, so save that false information to yourself, you freakazilla

Posted: at 12-11-2012 03:25 AM (12 years ago) | Upcoming