Bride and groom planning to marry in Kakamega County will be forced to pay an additional fee to be allowed to marry, thanks to a new bill currently being considered by the County Assembly.

The Kakamega County Finance Bill, 2022 proposed a new levy of between 5,000 and 50,000 shillings as wedding fees, depending on the choice of venue.

Religious events, including crusades and other church gatherings, will attract a similar amount of money, depending on location.

The county government is seeking to raise the cap on revenue collected locally through the proposed new levies.

The development appears to have annoyed religious leaders and residents who have called the proposed charges outrageous.

The Reverend William Ouya of Jesus Wonders Victory, who gave his opinion at a public participation forum on the bill, urged the County Assembly’s finance and planning committee to review the charges to the decrease.

Reverend Ouya said Kakamega was among the counties with a lot of political activity “and we must be allowed to hold church meetings and pray for our county and the politicians that there will be peace.”

Resident Justus Oyolo said the introduction of new taxes on weddings and church meetings could see many people astray.

Oyolo fears that “we stay” marriage agreements will be the norm if the bill becomes law.

“Some of us are unmarried. I plan to get married in one of the serene locations in our county after the election, but the proposed levy could ruin my life,” he said. declared, proposing that the charges be between 2,000 and 10,000 shillings.