Six in 10 Kenyans won’t mark Xmas

Six in every 10 Kenyans, a majority aged between 46 and 55, do not intend to celebrate Christmas at all this year.

Many Kenyans, 86 per cent, said they are not celebrating this festive season because they are broke and cannot afford the expenses that are linked to the season

A new survey released by Infotrack showed that the rising cost of living has inhibited the festive spirit, pointing to deepening economic challenges across households.

Another 10 per cent said that they have no interest in celebrating the holiday, while 6 per cent indicated that they will be working.

“Respondents who expressed no interest in celebrating, with disinterest slightly higher among younger and urban demographics. Changing societal priorities and economic pressures are leading to evolving attitudes toward festive traditions,” InfoTrack reported.

Residents of North Eastern, who are majorly Muslims, are the majority of Kenyans who are giving the festive season a wide berth in the survey. The report shows at least half of the entire population across the eight regions are not celebrating the birth of Christ.

Only two per cent of the interviewed will shun the Christmas fanfare because they are Muslims.

“One per cent gave other reasons, including being a member of a denomination that doesn’t celebrate, having no family to celebrate with, feeling sick and thinking of school fees and books,” Infotrak Market Research Manager Johvine Wanyingo said.

Regionally, all Nairobi residents are interested in celebrating Christmas but cited lack of money and thus cannot afford the expenses as the major reason for avoiding the celebrations. Only five per cent of the City dwellers will avoid the Christmas festive due to work.

Wanyingo said that economic pressures are magnified in urban and marginalised regions, revealing persistent regional inequalities and shaping the way people spend their money.

Other regions where lack of money will block people from celebrating Christmas at a high rate include Central and Western at 91 per cent each, Eastern at 90 per cent, Coast and Rift Valley at 85 and 83 per cent respectively while North Eastern comes last at 41 per cent.

“Economic pressures are magnified in urban and marginalised regions, revealing persistent regional inequalities. Financial insecurity has become a unifying challenge, cutting across societal segments,” Wanyingo said.

He added: “Rising costs of living are inhibiting the festive spirit, reflecting the deepening economic challenges across households.”

Similarly, 89 per cent of men and 83 per cent of women said that lack of money was the major reason why they opted to forgo Christmas.

Infotrack data showed that for the same reason, at least nine in every 10 Kenyans between the ages of 27 to above 55 years will also avoid Christmas, while 10 per cent of all adult Kenyans said they have no interest in celebrating the festive period and another six per cent will be working during the period.

According to the pollster, out of the 40 per cent representing four in every 10 Kenyans taking part in the Christmas celebrations, the majority of them, 63 per cent intend to spend time with their families.