President William Ruto attends wedding as he launches 'Gava Mkononi' at KICC

President William Ruto on Friday offered to cover the honeymoon expenses of a newly-wed couple who got married at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) as he unveiled the revamped eCitizen platform dubbed 'Gava Mkononi'.

The wedding was a culmination of a digital process initiated by the couple, Nicholas and Judy, two months ago through the modernised eCitizen platform but the solemnisation ceremony was done in person before President Ruto and hundreds of other attendees.  

The couple exchanged vows live on stage with the President and his entire government watching, in a brief ceremony presided over by an Assistant Registrar from the Office of the Attorney General, before signing their marriage certificate.

President Ruto soon after took to the stage to congratulate the newlyweds.

"Congratulations Nicholas and Judy on your wedding. I'm pleased to be here. I instructed the Interior Ministry to pick at random a couple who were going to wed today. They booked their wedding online on eCitizen and I requested the Registrar to allow me to have a conversation with these good people on whether we can be a part of this event. Thank you so much for agreeing," said President Ruto.

"Because of that I am going to sponsor four nights for the two of you in Leopard Beach Resort in Diani, Kwale County and CS Prof. Kithure Kindiki will organise your tickets and a good limousine to take you to the hotel and to pick you up as well. I wish you the best in your marriage. Pongezi."

Ruto then advised Nicholas to remain faithful to his wife, in reference to an earlier statement in which the Assistant Registrar told the groom to remain loyal to his spouse from that time forward.

"Si umeskia ile maneno Registrar amesema. Utakaa hapo," said Ruto much to the excitement of those in attendance.

The lovebirds were then gifted brown envelopes by high-ranking officials in President Ruto's administration led by CS Kindiki, CS Ezekiel Machogu and AG Justin Muturi.

They then posed for photographs with the president and Cabinet Secretaries before exiting the stage as the crowd cheered them on.