The clear line separating the rich and the poor is all too evident as Kenyans prepare to celebrate Christmas on Monday.
Interviews with a wide cross-section of Kenyans revealed that while the rich are sparing no expense to treat their families to lavish holidays both locally and abroad, the “wretched of the earth” are struggling to raise modest resources to provide their families with a decent feast.
AFFLUENT
Even with the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) figures showing that the inflation rate has been reducing gradually from 7.06 in September to 4.73 in November, this category of Kenyans is not feeling the impact, and it will be a modest Christmas for them.
Then there are the affluent Kenyans who plan to spend upwards of Sh100,000 to make it a day to remember for themselves and their families.
Kenyans in this category are the reason there has been a surge in hotel bookings across the country — with Mombasa being the destination of choice for many.
Our spot check showed that some hotels were packed to capacity for the entire festive season, with a good number of the guests being Kenyan holidaymakers.
And it does not come cheap. From December 20 to January 3, individual hotels will be charging between Sh15,000 and Sh40,000 for double rooms per night. This is after they recently increased prices following increased demand.
“From December 20 to January 3, 2018, holiday rates jump by 50 per cent due to the large numbers of holidaymakers who want to celebrate Christmas and New Year in a sun, sand and sea atmosphere,” Kenya Tourism Federation chairman Mohamed Hersi said two weeks ago.
FULLY BOOKED
Among the fully booked establishments is the Diani Reef Beach Resort. Managing Director Bobby Kimani said the hotel is full from now up to January 4 next year.
He said 80 per cent of the guests were locals from Nairobi, Nakuru, Kisumu, Eldoret and Kiambu.
“This festive season is special for us as we are fully booked for Christmas and the New Year. Kenyan tourists have come in droves to celebrate in Diani,” he said.
At Sarova Whitesands, general manager Siddharth Sathe said the hotel was full with 90 per cent of the visitors being local tourists.
“At the moment, our hotel is fully booked up to January 2. Domestic tourists have come to Mombasa to celebrate Christmas and New Year,” he said.
DOMESTIC TOURISTS
“We thank local airlines for flying domestic tourists to Diani from Nairobi. Jambojet alone operates three direct flights from Nairobi to Ukunda,” Mr Sathe said.
At PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort in Shanzu, tourists from the Kenyan mainland form the bulk of the guests, according to managing director Hasnain Noorani.
He said the majority of Kenyans on holiday in Mombasa are families that have taken advantage of the school holidays. PrideInn’s target clients are domestic tourists as it tries to encourage more Kenyans to go on holiday.
“Our hotel is popular among locals from Nairobi and other parts of the country as we have an aqua park specifically for children to have fun. We also offer menus which are domestic friendly,” he said.
IDEAL SPENDING
As some Kenyans live large while others are struggling, is there an ideal amount to be spent for Christmas to be special?
Financial adviser Peter Chege says every person should work with what they planned for.
“While saving for the season, one ought to have in mind what activities they wish to engage in; like a holiday, house parties, road trips or a family get-together,” says Mr Chege, the founder of Shizki Financial Advisers that is based in Nairobi.
“If you can’t afford a holiday, you can have a family get-together or a house party or outdoor activity. Cost-sharing is also a way to reduce the expense burden. Settling on cheaper options, say hotels or drinks, is also recommended,” he said.
Most people do not consider it a successful festive season if there are no copious servings of food. But Mr Chege says there is no need for the excitement.
“Avoid the temptation to prepare too much food. Nothing really changes in what the stomach can accommodate during this season,” he advises.