Samburu elders cancel Senator Lemaletian’s wedding
Samburu Elders Halt Senator Hezena Lemaletian’s Wedding After Cultural Vetting.
A planned wedding for nominated Senator Hezena Lemaletian has been shelved after Samburu elders, acting under customary tradition, advised her family to cancel the match and return the dowry.
According to reports, the suitor had already paid Sh100,000 in bride‑price as the first instalment.
Before any marriage can proceed in Samburu culture, a council of elders conducts a deep background check on the groom’s lineage, character, and intentions.
When their investigation raised red flags (details were not made public), the elders instructed Lemaletian’s relatives to refund the dowry and end the engagement.
Lemaletian, 31, later confirmed the decision, stating she had never been married and would respect the elders’ verdict.
She thanked them for stepping into the paternal role her late father once held and warned that further gossip about her private life would be met with legal action.
The episode highlights the continuing influence of Samburu customary law, where elders serve as moral gatekeepers and marriage brokers.
In their view, returning the dowry restores harmony between families and protects the bride from a union deemed unsuitable.
