This archive report was first published on 29 December 2019.
Christmas in Kenya is a time of joy and celebration, but for many wives, it's also a time of stress and anxiety. The annual pilgrimage to the village can be a daunting task, especially when family expectations and traditions come into play.
Traditionally, the man's side of the family expects the wife to spend the Christmas holidays with them, while the wife's side is often left out. However, modern brides are increasingly vocal about making their own decisions, and many are opting to visit their own families or even travel abroad.
But for those who do choose to visit their in-laws, the experience can be a challenging one. Long hours of travel, cramped cars, and nosy relatives can make for a miserable holiday. And if the wife is not the preferred choice of the mother and sisters-in-law, the welcome can be frosty at best.
It's not just the travel that's the problem, either. Many wives feel like they're expected to justify their worth by performing a range of tasks, from cooking and cleaning to feeding animals. And when they're left to fend for themselves while their husbands disappear to the local shebeens, it can be a particularly difficult time.
As one wife noted, 'It's like we're expected to be slaves, not partners.' And it's not just the wives who are affected - the husbands often seem oblivious to their spouses' struggles, and may even see no problem with dragging their families to shags every Christmas.
So what can be done to spare wives the annual pilgrimage to the village? Perhaps it's time for a change in tradition, and for families to start valuing their wives as equal partners, rather than just expecting them to put up with the stress and anxiety of the holiday season.
