By PETER OBUYA and KNA
Posted Monday, December 26 2011 at 20:11
Posted Monday, December 26 2011 at 20:11
Nairobi residents thronged various entertainment places to celebrate Christmas.
Many said they opted to remain in Nairobi due to the hard economic times that could not allow them to travel upcountry.
“I earlier planned to go and spend the Christmas with my larger family in Western but I could not manage because the fares suddenly went up,” said Mr Dennis Walela on Monday at Nairobi’s Uhuru Park.
Mr Walela said it was difficult to ferry his family to the village and instead opted to send part of the cash to his parents.
It was almost the same story, with Ms Esther Mwikali who had planned to join her family members in Makueni for the festive season.
However, unlike Mr Walela who was discouraged by the skyrocketing fares, Ms Mwikali was unable to find a vehicle to take her home.
“I was determined to join my family in Makueni even if it could have meant paying twice the normal fare”, she says.
She expressed her disappointment at not being at her rural home during Christmas. She last visited her rural relatives two years ago.
“Of course I’m disappointed at not being there, but I hope to go next time even if it will force me to buy my own car,” said the 38-year-old.
Businessmen who had hoped to make a killing from those who thronged the Uhuru Park for the celebrations were disappointed.
They said the huge number of people at the park did not translate into better sales.
Mr Michael Kiana said on a normal day, unlike yesterday, he would have sold all his wares by midday. “The high cost of living is to blame for all this,” he said.
In Embu, Christmas celebrations were low key, a thing attributed to runaway prices of most basic and essential commodities.
Maendeleo ya Wanawake
Maendeleo ya Wanawake Embu branch chairlady Rosemary Wanja Nthiga said the high cost of living had stopped many from celebrating the festivities.
But in Taita-Taveta County, many resorts and recreation establishment reported booming business as droves of merrymakers with their families flocked into them.
Shasha Camp, an up-market establishment in Mwatate District reported a high number of visitors compared to other times of the years.
To lure visitors to the restaurant, the management had hired Tekelezi live band which became the major attraction.
Ms Martha Wakio, a business woman from Voi District, who was one of the patrons at Shasha Camp, said she had brought her family to the restaurant to get a break from the normal hustles of a town and business.
“Christmas comes once a year so it’s important that we appreciate this day to its fullest,” she said.
In other towns, hundreds of worshippers flocked various churches for fellowship, with most expressing optimism about the coming year.
“We trust that 2012 will be a better year in terms of people’s obedience to God and being our brother’s keepers,” said Mr Mwamburi Chao, a lay leader at St Jude Catholic in Mwatate.
As some families were celebrating the holiday in their own way, food traders opened their stalls in anticipation of increased sales.
Unlike in Nairobi, most traders in the area have been registering brisk business, a trend expected to continue until after new year.“We must remain open to make this day a success for other people,” said Mr Maovo Kennedy, a vegetable seller at Mwatate market.
In Lamu, the festive season kicked off on Saturday evening amid pomp and fun fare that transformed the mainly Muslim town.
Thousands were visiting the world heritage site, and tourists could be seen taking photographs. Hotels were busy serving delicacies besides playing music associated with upcountry towns.
A contingent of the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) of the Administration Police could be seen patrolling the streets of Lamu to ensure no attacks disrupted the celebrations.
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