Petition against delivery of original marriage papers

Petitioners from Taita Taveta County want the National Assembly to push for revocation of a policy requiring licensed ministers of faith from all counties to physically deliver original marriage certificates to the Registrar of Marriages in Nairobi.

Wundayi MP Danson Mwashako presented the petition to Parliament on behalf of licensed ministers of faith from Taita Taveta.

The petitioners are also seeking that the National Assembly, through the Public Petitions committee recommends that the licensed ministers of faith be allowed to submit original marriage certificates to the Registrar of Marriages within their respective counties, with county offices bearing the responsibility of forwarding the documents to Nairobi.

“Despite the constitutional requirement under Article 10(2) of the Constitution, which lists public participation as a national value and principle of governance binding all state organs, state officers and public officers when making or implementing policy, the licensed ministers of faith were never consulted on the new policy directive,” Mwashako told the House.

At the same time, he said implementation of the policy has placed an unnecessary administrative and financial burden on licensed ministers of faith, now compelled to travel to Nairobi to submit original marriage certificates.

This, he said, has made officiating of marriages in religious settings unnecessarily costly and cumbersome. “Requiring the physical delivery of original marriage certificates from all counties to Nairobi, undermines the constitutional principle of devolution and decentralisation of services, and may deter prospective couples from exercising their civic right to marry,” he insisted.

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has since directed the Public Petitions Committee, led by Runyenjes MP, Karemba Muchangi to file a response within 60 days.

“Mr Karemba, you will bring the findings of your committee within 60 days. Furnish it to the petitioner and bring it to the House,” he directed.