Countless holidays counterproductive

Each tribe has some form of religion. We could add atheists and even materialists.

We should start with the tribe whose prayer is invoked during the opening of the National Assembly.

Why the clamour for more holidays? It's more than resting. After all, our work ethics cannot be so good to require so many holidays or rest.

Such a holiday would cement the influence of the particular religious group in the national psyche. There is something sentimental in saying: "Tomorrow is Christmas, Idd or Diwali."

That influence has value in business and in silent politics. Proponents of the new holiday know we are a religious nation.

My observation, however, is that religious influence is waning among the youth.

Kenyan Hindus

By the way, does Hinduism convert other people? I have not met any indigenous Kenyan Hindus. Why can't we have a holiday that is way removed from religion?

I would suggest a farmers' holiday.

They feed us and keep us alive under challenging circumstances. Think of waiting for months before the crop is ready for harvest. Compare that with someone paid a monthly salary come - rain or shine.

Farming, or to be cool, agriculture, employs the highest number of Kenyans and is the leading contributor to gross domestic product (GDP).

The price of food is also a contributor to inflation. You still can't vouch for a farmers' holiday? Beyond who deserves a holiday, we need to ask who loses and gains from holidays. The economy in general loses because of subdued activities.

Remember an economy is driven by consumption or investment.

Consumption is subdued by holidays.

Transporters lose as do all other businesses that take a break during holidays.

Entertainment, including restaurants, often benefits from holidays. But not when a holiday is in the middle of a month and week. We can even quantify the economic loss.

Kenya's GDP is expected to reach $107 billion (12.84 trillion) this year. That is about Sh35 billion daily if $1 is equivalent to Sh120.

We can be fair and say that 10 per cent of that loss is "saved "by entertainment and essential services like hospitals.

That still leads to a loss of Sh31.5 billion daily. That loss could be higher because we assume that production goes on even during the weekends.

Clearly, holidays are costly. Some could argue they recharge us, make us work harder and become more productive.

Economic disruptions

It could be the opposite. The day before and after the holidays are often wasted. So, where do we go from here?

Why can't we fix our holidays to Mondays and Fridays if a holiday falls in the middle of the weekday?

That will ensure we enjoy the holiday to the maximum and reduce economic disruptions. Why couldn't we shift Mashujaa Day to last Friday?

Has anyone noted that Americans fix their holidays at the start or end of the week?

We copied the American constitution, and so many Kenyans live in the US. One of our presidents even schooled there.

China also tries to compensate for holidays falling on weekdays by requiring work on the weekend before or after a holiday. Economic productivity must be maintained. It's curious that the countries that need holidays the least are the ones that love holidays the most.

Holidays are popular with extremes.

The affluent would love holidays to spend. The "hustlers" and "sufferers" would love holidays to rest; they work daily.

The middle class are ambivalent about everything. One of them told me casually that we need more holidays because life is short.

In the run-up to the 2022 polls, the economy was the key issue.

It should remain the key issue as a sign that our country has come of age. One way to remain focused on the economy is to ensure steady growth of national productivity.

We can fully utilise of one the scarce resources such as time with fewer holidays. Once we become a developed country, we can afford the luxury of holidays.

After all, holidays are a loss to those who live from hand to mouth.

Some extremists argue that we do not need any holidays; we shall have enough time to rest in the grave as we await the end of time.