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Empty pockets dent Kenyan Valentines day

NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 13 – As the world marks Valentines Day on Tuesday, a new study conducted by research firm Ipsos- Synovate indicates that 51 percent of Kenyans would not celebrate the day due to harsh economic times.

Similarly, 35 percent of Ugandans were less excited about the day.

The study stated that the high inflation rates estimated at 15.1 percent and 25.7 percent in Kenya and Uganda respectively was the reason why they would not observe the day.

“30 percent of Kenyans said they would not mark Valentines Day because they didn’t believe in it, compared to 22 percent of Ugandans,” the study said.

However, the research showed that over 60 percent of urban dwellers in Kenya and Uganda felt that the day was indeed important.

“Traditionally, Valentines is a day on which lovers express their love for each other and many urban dwellers in Kenya and Uganda continue to embrace this day,” the research stated.

According to the survey, there were no gender disparities in the proportion who indicated that Valentines Day was important to them.

“This means that romance is a two way affair for both males and females surveyed.”

On the other hand, 65 percent of Ugandans indicated that they intended to celebrate the day compared to 49 percent of Kenyans.

“These findings also beg the question, are Kenyans dull and unromantic?”

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The study indicated that those who would celebrate Valentines would do so with their romantic partners with 82 percent and 70 percent of those interviewed in Kenya and Uganda respectively saying so.

Red roses, clothes and romantic dinners were the top three on the list of wishes by women in both countries while men expect clothes in form of shirts, ties and trousers and a romantic dinner to mark the day.

“It is expected that women will be taken out for romantic dinner and as such the men are hopeful that their dates will not be turned down.”

The study conducted in Kenya and Uganda between February 6 and 9 interviewed over 2,000 respondents in both Kenya and Uganda above 18 years of age.

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