A video has surfaced of a woman from Limuru identified as Mary Ndung’u attempting to stop a wedding. Miss Ndung’u alleged that she is the first wife of the groom.

“I am bitter because I have persevered a lot in this marriage. The bride came and took my man who built a house for her but I was quiet,” said a defeated Miss Ndung’u.

“I wish they would have informed me but I have had about the wedding from people. This wedding will not take place!” She asserted.

The woman claimed that she had informed the priest who was to officiate the wedding who reportedly informed her that he would go ahead and officiate the wedding.

“How many times have I gone to the Father’s office who insists he won’t stop the wedding? I used to attend this church, St Francis of Assis, Limuru, and all my children were baptised here,” she alleged.

Kenyan law on marriage

Under Kenyan law, a man who is already in a legally recognized Christian marriage, which is monogamous by nature, cannot marry a second wife in church.

The Marriage Act of 2014 clearly distinguishes between monogamous and polygamous unions, and any attempt to contract a second monogamous marriage while the first remains valid is considered void and could amount to bigamy, a criminal offense.

While polygamous marriages are permitted under customary or Islamic law, they must be registered accordingly to be legally recognized. Therefore, if the first wife was married in church, the man cannot lawfully marry another woman in a church ceremony unless he first dissolves the initial marriage through a legal divorce.