Kenya is witnessing a notable shift in family dynamics, with fewer women choosing marriage and a growing number opting for separation or divorce. This is according to the 2024 Kenya Vital Statistics Report, released on Wednesday by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).

The report highlights the central role of marriage in population growth, noting that the majority of births still occur within wedlock. However, it also acknowledges that a rising number of unions are ending prematurely through separation or divorce.

In 1989, nearly two-thirds (63.1%) of women aged 15 to 49 were married. By 2022, that proportion had dropped to 48.1%, pointing to a steady decline in marital rates over the past three decades.

At the same time, the number of divorced or separated women in this age group has more than doubled from 4.6% in 1989 to 9.3% in 2022. The upward trend is evident in the intervening years: 5.3% in 1993, a slight dip to 4.9% in 1998, followed by a consistent rise to 5.9% in 2003, 6.1% in 2008/09, 7.7% in 2014, and eventually 9.3% in 2022.

Marriage rates, on the other hand, have been on a general downward trajectory. After the initial 63.1% in 1989, the figure dropped to 58.3% in 1993.

A slight rebound in 1998 saw the rate reach 58.8%, but it fell again to 54.5% in 2003 and 54.2% in 2008/09. In 2014, there was a minor increase to 54.6%, before plunging to 48.1% in 2022.

The report reiterates the significance of marriage in shaping demographic trends, particularly due to its strong link with childbirth and family formation.

The 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) also examined civil registration of marriages, revealing that only 19.3% of currently married women aged 15 to 49 had officially registered their union. Just 15.6% possessed a valid marriage certificate.

According to the report, once a marriage is formally conducted, a certificate is issued and submitted to the Registrar of Marriages within 14 days. The registrar then updates the records in a register and maintains a scanned digital copy.

On the other hand, couples seeking to dissolve a marriage must file a case at the Resident Magistrate’s Court. If the court concludes that the relationship has broken down irreparably, it issues a Decree Nisi followed by a Decree Absolute.

A certified copy is then forwarded to the Registrar of Marriages for official entry into the divorce register.