Biting cost of living puts a damper on Christmas, New Year festivities

A roasted maize vendor attends to her customers in Nyeri Town. [Kibata Kihu, Standard]

The year 2022 came with harsh economic realities for Kenyans, many of whom struggled to put food on the table let alone afford other basic needs.

From runway inflation of 9.5 per cent as at last month from 6.5 per cent in April, skyrocketing fuel prices to the ever-increasing prices of basic commodities like sugar, flour and cooking oil, times have been tough.

Apart from the high cost of living, there have been massive job cuts that have widened the unemployment gap, a move that saw many households unable to fend for their families. At the same time, the Kenya Kwanza government led by President William Ruto failed to fulfill its promise to lower the cost of living in the first 100 days.

Ruto removed subsidies on petroleum products but failed to reduce taxes on goods.

This season, millions of Kenyans opted to stay in the cities and major towns across the country as opposed to going to their rural homes to join their families and relatives for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

A spot check by The Standard established that a huge number chose to remain in Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Kisumu and Eldoret to avoid expenses associated with travelling.

"With the hard economic times, there was no need to travel to Busia County with my family at Sh2,000 per head, translating to Sh12,000. This means, I would have spent a similar amount on the road to come back to the city in January 2023," said Jackson Wanjala.

Wanjala, who runs an electronics shop at Ronald Ngala street in Nairobi, instead will travel home when schools reopen to admit his three children who will be joining secondary school.

"I will use the money I was to spend on the road to do shopping for my children. As people go on with their celebrations, I report to my work daily and am certain by that time, I will have collected enough money to cater for the tuition fee," said Wanjala.

He went on: "This is a decision we made with my wife early this month. On Christmas day, we attended church service as usual and then I reported to work. My wife and our children went to see one of our aunt's in Rongai who had a birthday party."

According to Kendi Wanja, 27, from Maua in Meru County, it was a waste of time and money to travel upcountry during the festive season, adding that she's trying to save money so that she can complete her studies at a local university in Nairobi.

Ms Wanja said if she would have travelled home, she would have spent more than Sh20,000 just to celebrate with her family and friends, saying that with the tough economy, you need good financial practices to stay afloat.

"I didn't graduate last month over a huge fee balance. I have a part-time job throughout the festive season and come January next year, I would have earned Sh65,000 which is enough to clear my fee balance and enable be to graduate," said Wanja.

For Alice Chepchumba, a banker, she didn't travel home as she has a three-month old child.

"I can't expose my baby to the chaos that I normally see on our roads during festive season. I can't waste money during the season since we are overcharged for no good reason. I will take my leave in mid-January and enjoy my holidays peacefully with my family," said Chepchumba.

Tough month

She added: "People are rushing to go home, spend money and come back to the city when they are very broke. You must plan yourself well during such seasons and don't be extravagant in your spending since January is normally a tough month with many bills."

David Kamau, a matatu driver along Thika road in Nairobi told The Standard that when the Kenya Kwanza government removed fuel subsidies, it reduced the profits they were earning by a bigger percentage.

Kamau said the high fuel prices have increased what they spend on fuel and therefore their matatu Sacco records less profits.

"The subsidy was removed by Kenya Kwanza government translates to Sh1,000 more to fill a standard fuel tank of a 14 seater matatu. This translates to Sh30,000 a month, earnings which should have gone to the Sacco. This has seen some drivers lose their jobs as the wage bill is very high," said Kamau.

He went on: "I have been forced to be at work during this festive season instead of going to Murang'a to join my family for Christmas and new year celebrations. I have two children in secondary school and one at the university. Come January, they will all need tuition fee which I don't have. I suspended going home to look for money to ensure they go back to school."