Constitution of the Republic of Kenya 2010
Marriage and Family Life
  • English
    We, the people of Kenya - …
    COMMITTED to nurturing and protecting the well-being of the individual, the family, communities and the nation:
    … (Preamble)
  • Swahili
    Sisi, wananchi wa Kenya -…
    TUKIWA TUMEJIZATITI kulea na kulinda maslahi ya mtu, familia, jamii na taifa:
    ... (Utangulizi)
Marriage and Family Life
  • English
    ...
    (4) The provisions of this Chapter7 on equality shall be qualified to the extent strictly necessary for the application of Muslim law before the Kadhis’ courts, to persons who profess the Muslim religion, in matters relating to personal status, marriage, divorce and inheritance.
    … (Art. 24)
  • Swahili
    ...
    (4) Vifungu katika Sura hii kwa usawa vitatumika kwa kiwango ambacho ni lazima kabisa kutumia sharia ya Kiislamu mbele ya mahakama za Kadhi, kwa watu ambao ni waumini wa dini ya Kiisilamu, katika maswala yanayohusu hadhi ya binafsi, ndoa, talaka na urithi.
    … (Kifungu cha 24)
Marriage and Family Life
  • English
    Every person has the right to privacy, which includes the right not to have—

    (c) information relating to their family or private affairs unnecessarily required or revealed;
    … (Art. 31)
  • Swahili
    Kila mtu ana haki ya faragha, ambayo ni pamoja na haki ya kutokuwa na—

    (c) habari zinazohusiana na familia zao au mambo yao binafsi yanayotakiwa au kufichuliwa isivyo lazima;
    … (Kifungu cha 31)
Marriage and Family Life
  • English
    (1) The family is the natural and fundamental unit of society and the necessary basis of social order, and shall enjoy the recognition and protection of the State.
    (2) Every adult has the right to marry a person of the opposite sex, based on the free consent of the parties.
    (3) Parties to a marriage are entitled to equal rights at the time of the marriage, during the marriage and at the dissolution of the marriage.
    (4) Parliament shall enact legislation that recognises—
    (a) marriages concluded under any tradition, or system of religious, personal or family law; and
    (b) any system of personal and family law under any tradition, or adhered to by persons professing a particular religion, to the extent that any such marriages or systems of law are consistent with this Constitution. (Art. 45)
  • Swahili
    (1) Familia ni kiungo cha asili na cha msingi cha jamii na msingi muhimu wa maadili ya kijamii, na itanufaika na kutambuliwa na kulindwa na Serikali.
    (2) Kila mtu mzima ana haki ya kuoa mtu wa jinsia tofauti, kwa kuzingatia ridhaa huru ya pande zote.
    (3) Pande zote katika ndoa zina haki sawa siku ya ndoa, wakati wa ndoa na wakati wa kuvunja ndoa.
    (4) Bunge litatunga sheria inayotambua-
    (a) ndoa zilizofungwa chini ya utamaduni wowote, au mfumo wa sheria za kidini, za binafsi au za familia; na
    (b) mfumo wowote wa sheria ya binafsi au familia chini ya utamaduni wowote, au inazingatiwa na watu ambao ni waumini wa dini fulani, kwa kiwango kwamba ndoa yoyote ya namna hiyo au mifumo ya sheria haipingani na Katiba hii. (Kifungu cha 45)
Marriage and Family Life
  • English
    (1) Every child has the right

    (e) to parental care and protection, which includes equal responsibility of the mother and father to provide for the child, whether they are married to each other or not;
    … (Art. 53)
  • Swahili
    (1) Kila mtoto ana haki

    (e) ya malezi na ulinzi wa wazazi, ambayo hujumuisha jukumu sawa la mama na baba kumhudumia mtoto, iwe wameoana au la;
    … (Kifungu cha 53)
Marriage and Family Life
  • English
    Parliament shall—
    ...
    (c) enact legislation—

    (iii) to regulate the recognition and protection of matrimonial property and in particular the matrimonial home during and on the termination of marriage;
    … (Art. 68)
  • Swahili
    Bunge-

    (c) litatunga sheria-
    ...
    (iii) ili kudhibiti utambuzi na ulinzi wa mali ya wana ndoa na hususani nyumba ya wanandoa wakati na siku ya kuvunjika kwa ndoa;
    … (Kifungu cha 68)
Marriage and Family Life
  • English
    ...
    (5) The jurisdiction of a Kadhis’ court shall be limited to the determination of questions of Muslim law relating to personal status, marriage, divorce or inheritance in proceedings in which all the parties profess the Muslim religion and submit to the jurisdiction of the Kadhi’s courts. (Art. 170)
  • Swahili
    ...
    (5) Mamlaka ya Mahakama ya Kadhi yatakuwa na mipaka itakayoishia katika kuamua shauri la sheria ya Kiisilamu inayohusiana na hadhi binafsi, ndoa, talaka au urithi katika kesi ambazo kwazo pande zote ni waumini wa dini ya Kiislamu na wanaitii mamlaka ya mahakama za Kadhi. (Kifungu cha 170)
1

Constitution of the Republic of Kenya 2010 (English). According to Art. 7: "… 2. The official languages of the Republic are Kiswahili and English. …"

2

Constitution of the Republic of Kenya 2010 (Swahili). UN Women in-house translation (2020).

Links to all sites last visited 14 February 2024
3
According to Art. 260: “‘Affirmative action’ includes any measure designed to overcome or ameliorate an inequity or the systemic denial or infringement of a right or fundamental freedom;...”.
4
According to Art. 248: “(2) The commissions are— (a) the Kenya National Human Rights and Equality Commission; (b) the National Land Commission; (c) the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission; (d) the Parliamentary Service Commission; (e) the Judicial Service Commission; (f) the Commission on Revenue Allocation; (g) the Public Service Commission; (h) the Salaries and Remuneration Commission; (i) the Teachers Service Commission; and (j) the National Police Service Commission.”
5
According to Art. 260: “‘Affirmative action’ includes any measure designed to overcome or ameliorate an inequity or the systemic denial or infringement of a right or fundamental freedom;...”.
6
According to Art. 248: “(2) The commissions are— (a) the Kenya National Human Rights and Equality Commission; (b) the National Land Commission; (c) the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission; (d) the Parliamentary Service Commission; (e) the Judicial Service Commission; (f) the Commission on Revenue Allocation; (g) the Public Service Commission; (h) the Salaries and Remuneration Commission; (i) the Teachers Service Commission; and (j) the National Police Service Commission.”
7
Chapter 4 on Bill of Rights.
8
According to Art. 260: “‘Affirmative action’ includes any measure designed to overcome or ameliorate an inequity or the systemic denial or infringement of a right or fundamental freedom;...”.
9
According to Art. 248: “(2) The commissions are— (a) the Kenya National Human Rights and Equality Commission; (b) the National Land Commission; (c) the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission; (d) the Parliamentary Service Commission; (e) the Judicial Service Commission; (f) the Commission on Revenue Allocation; (g) the Public Service Commission; (h) the Salaries and Remuneration Commission; (i) the Teachers Service Commission; and (j) the National Police Service Commission.”
10
According to Art. 260: “‘Affirmative action’ includes any measure designed to overcome or ameliorate an inequity or the systemic denial or infringement of a right or fundamental freedom;...”.
11
According to Art. 248: “(2) The commissions are— (a) the Kenya National Human Rights and Equality Commission; (b) the National Land Commission; (c) the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission; (d) the Parliamentary Service Commission; (e) the Judicial Service Commission; (f) the Commission on Revenue Allocation; (g) the Public Service Commission; (h) the Salaries and Remuneration Commission; (i) the Teachers Service Commission; and (j) the National Police Service Commission.”
12
Chapter 4 on Bill of Rights.
13
Chapter 4 on Bill of Rights.