The Seven Types of Marriage

This [note: sham marriages] comprises about nine per cent of Kenyan marriages. The marriage is contracted for reasons other than love and family and is orchestrated for personal gain such as immigration, wealth and social status.

This type of marriage is also known as a "sham marriage".

Rosaline wanted to migrate to the USA or Germany, but her numerous visa applications were rejected. Someone advised her that the easiest way out was to get married to a citizen of any of those two countries.

Fortunately for her she met a German and married him within a year. She has been living in Germany for the last seven years.

But money is the main reason people get into such marriages.

About 10 years ago, Ken, a 32-year-old lawyer, was on the verge of bankruptcy. His law firm was doing badly and debts were piling up. It was hard to come across new and well paying clients. He was single and dating a jobless girl who entirely depended on him. Along came Faith, a not so-good-looking woman who was head over heels in love with Ken. The icing on the cake was her family background: wealthy and influential politically.

Ken ditched his long-time girlfriend for the moneyed Faith. As soon as he declared undying love for Faith, his fortunes started changing. Clients started trickling in, and with them money. Within one year, Ken was mingling with the high and mighty, a wedding ring on his finger and Faith by his side.