WHAT KENYAN WOMEN PREFER: BRANDS, SECONDHAND CLOTHES AND A TRIP TO THE COAST

Posted on 25 March 2012.

Did you know that Toyota is the motor brand most preferred by Kenyan women? The Kenya Forum didnt but dont take our word for it. This statistical fact was revealed in a recently published survey. The market research company Ipsos-Synovate conducted the survey involving 703 women aged 18 years and above, between October and November last year. Quite why it has only just been released we do not know. Toyota is the most popular brand of car among women the survey found with 44 per cent declaring they preferred it. Clearly when Toyota came up with the statement The car ahead is always a Toyota, they knew what they were talking about. Apparently if women in Kenya had an unlimited budget they would go for the Prado as their most preferred model followed by the Rav 4. Now a Prado retails between 4.095 and 4.387 million shillings at Kenya Motor Industry Association (KMI) and a Rav 4 retails at 3 million, so buying new for most people remains in the realms of fantasy. Of course second hand vehicles come relatively cheap relatively. The Mercedes followed Toyota in the survey as the second most popular motor brand, closely followed by the Range Rover and the Mitsubishi Pajero. From the same study it emerged that women prefer to buy their clothes in flea, or open air markets like Ngara, Toi, Muthurwa, Kibuye, Gikomba among others (so said 39 per cent of the women surveyed). This statistic was followed by boutiques and exhibitions such as Jade collections and the World Business Centre and similar which were selected by 16 per cent, whilst supermarkets such as Nakumatt, Uchumi at 7% and Eastleighs Garissa Lodge at 6%. Mr. Price came 3 % and Enka Rasha 2%. So why do women prefer second hand clothes? The Kenya Forum talked to a few women and the response was consistently the same; They like their attire to be unique. Rarely will you find other people wearing the same attire that is purchased from the markets so they avoid the Kenya uniform situation (found in the chainstores). Second hand clothes are also often of very good quality and long lasting at affordable prices. So seems like the likes of Toi market and Muthurwa are here to stay. From another part of the survey it seems the women in Kenya would rather go to the coast or Nairobi for their holidays with a very small percentage preferring to go up country. Regarding destinations, 43% of the women polled said they would prefer to go to either of Mombasa, Lamu, Malindi, Kilifi, Diani and Taita. A combined 16 % said they would go upcountry or abroad.

We wondered why women are not crazy about going upcountry, so we talked to a few women, and Susan for one, was of the opinion that it was because going upcountry meant spending the holiday doing one chore or another. Most women prefer to just relax and rest during their holidays. Men it seems are quite the opposite and would prefer to go upcountry to spend time with their extended families. It seems they give little thought to their girlfriends or wives who end up cooking scrubbing and cleaning the entire stay(this is possibly because they, themselves, are alien to the domestic arts). Many polls have been taken over the years and they sometimes leave a lot to be desired, but this latest one by Synovate seem agreeable to most of the women who talked to the Kenya Forum.