Kenya’s latest demographic survey has revealed that marriage registration remains uncommon despite more than half of women of reproductive age being in a union, raising questions about how many couples are formalising their relationships through the legal system.
Data from the Summary Kenya Mini Demographic and Health Survey Popular Version 2025-26 show that 55 per cent of women aged 15 to 25 are currently in a union, the same level recorded in 2022.
However, only 18 per cent of married women in that age group have a union registered with a civil authority.
The findings come from the latest Kenya National Bureau of Statistics survey, conducted between November 2025 and February 2026 using a nationally representative sample of nearly 30,000 households across the country.
Marriage Registration Remains Rare Across Most Unions
The report identifies marriage and sexual activity as important demographic indicators because they determine the extent to which women are exposed to the risk of pregnancy and influence major life outcomes for both women and men.
The survey shows that while marriage and cohabitation remain widespread, registration rates lag significantly behind.
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According to the survey, 46 per cent of women were not born in their current place of residence, with economic reasons accounting for the largest share of migration at 37 per cent.
Family reunification and other family-related reasons accounted for 28 per cent, while marriage formation accounted for 22 per cent.
The survey further found that 61 per cent of women used the internet in the 12 months preceding the survey, with two-thirds using it daily.
Meanwhile, 27 per cent reported no exposure to mass media, including newspapers, radio and television.
Sharp Gaps Across Wealth, Education and Residence
Additional findings contained in the survey show that marriage registration varies widely depending on where women live, their level of education and their economic status.
Data from the survey indicate that only 17.6 per cent of all women currently in a union have a marriage or union registered with civil authorities.
Women who reported being legally married recorded a registration rate of 20.1 per cent, while just 1.5 per cent of women living with a partner had registered their union.
The figures further show a significant urban-rural divide.
In urban areas, 22.6 per cent of women in unions reported that their marriage was registered compared to 13.6 per cent in rural areas.
Education also emerged as a major factor, with 35.3 per cent of women with more than secondary education reporting registered unions, compared to 12.4 per cent among women with only primary education.
Economic status showed the widest gap.
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While 33.0 per cent of women in the wealthiest households reported registered unions, the figure fell to 7.0 per cent among women in the poorest households.
Broader Demographic Trends
Among women aged 25 to 49, 15 per cent said they had their first sexual encounter before reaching the age of 15, while 51 per cent had experienced their first sexual intercourse by the age of 18.
The median age at first sexual intercourse among women aged 25 to 49 was 18 years.
The survey also found that 47 per cent of women aged 15 to 49 had sexual intercourse within four weeks before the survey.
Among women aged 15 to 24 who had sexual intercourse with a non-cohabiting partner in the previous 12 months, only 36 per cent reported using a condom during their last sexual encounter.
Beyond marriage registration, the survey recorded shifts in broader demographic indicators across the country.
Kenya’s total fertility rate declined from 3.4 children per woman in the 2022 survey to 3.1 children per woman in the latest survey, while teenage pregnancy fell from 14.8 per cent to 11.9 per cent.
Researchers interviewed 21,231 women aged 15 to 49 and successfully surveyed 26,380 households nationwide, achieving response rates of 94 per cent and 96 per cent, respectively.
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