High Court Rules Marriage Certificate Is Not the Only Proof in Property Disputes

The High Court of Kenya has ruled that a marriage certificate is not the only proof acceptable for property division after marriage dissolution. Justice Charles Kariuki held that long cohabitation, children born within the union, and family life realities can give rise to a presumed marriage. The court recognized that non-financial contributions such as cooking, child rearing, and homemaking have economic value. In a specific case, a woman with no documentary evidence of financial input was awarded a 30% beneficial interest in properties after two decades of caregiving and domestic labor.