This archive report was first published on 4 October 2019.
As the weekend begins, many Kenyan men have plans to go out drinking, but their wives are often left to face financial struggles when they return home with empty pockets.
According to several men who shared their experiences, the reason behind this phenomenon is often rooted in social pressures and a culture of buying rounds of drinks.
One man, Peter, explained that he often gets drunk because his friends buy him alcohol and food, leaving him with no money to take care of his household expenses.
'Most of the time we drink because we have been bought for drinks,' Peter said. 'You join them and find they have bought a mzinga, what do you do?'
He added that when called for drinks, one cannot say no, as it would be considered rude.
'You join them and drink yourself silly. People who don’t buy alcohol are actually the ones who drink the most,' Peter said. 'You will drink so much to get rid of stress and then go home with empty hands. To my fellow men, if you know you are broke, just go home.'
Another man shared a similar experience, saying that he doesn't take his wife to the club because he believes it's her responsibility to take care of herself.
'Every end month I pay rent, school fees, and shopping for the house. Any other thing outside that bracket is her own responsibility. Her money is hers to take care of herself,' he said.
