Kenyan Senator Cancels Wedding, Returns Dowry After Background Check
Nominated Senator Hezena Lemaletian has formally called off her engagement and returned the dowry, citing cultural norms and a background check done by her family elders.
Lemaletian revealed her engagement at a traditional ceremony in October 2024, and she celebrated on social media.
She referred to her fiancé as “a fine top brain” and stated her loyalty to him.
However, on Friday, May 16, the senator disclosed that her family elders had performed a comprehensive background check, as required by Samburu customs, and decided to call off the marriage.
In her statement, she stated that, despite recent allegations, she is not married and has no plans to marry the person.
“Allegations that I was married are false and unfounded, and I shall also not be married to that person whatsoever. I deeply thank our elders,” the statement reads.
Senator Cancels Wedding at the Last Minute and Repays Dowry to Fiancé's Family
— Kenya Digest (@Kenya_Digest) May 16, 2025
Nominated Senator Hezena Lemaletian has officially called off her engagement and returned dowry, citing cultural traditions and a background check conducted by her family elders.
In October 2024,… pic.twitter.com/4uKkaXiEF6
“The due procedure of the Samburu culture is that a background check must be conducted before the marriage. And so it was, and THOROUGHLY,” she noted.
She noted that the dowry of Ksh 100,000, which was offered during the initial conversations, was returned, and the engagement was officially annulled in January 2025.
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“The elders of my family, therefore, halted the whole process after the background check and refused to accept dowry from the person, and as such, the whole process was immediately cancelled as of January 2025,” he said.
Lemaletian thanked her family elders for their counsel and support, stating that their engagement was similar to that of a father and that her late father would have been proud.
She also sought privacy for her family as they went forward, warning that any more attempts to smear her reputation would result in legal action.
The senator’s announcement comes after she faced media criticism despite her decision to remain silent out of respect for all parties concerned.
Kenyan Senator Cancels Wedding, Returns Dowry After Background Check
