A new survey by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) on diaspora remittance now indicates that men are sending cash to their girlfriends nearly as much as their wives and mothers back home.
According to the survey, 57 percent of respondents were married women who received cash from their husbands abroad followed by unmarried women at just 31 percent.
“The cash is also used in offsetting medical expenses, meeting education expenses, for payment of rent and household utilities, payment for the costs associated with ceremonies, for clothing needs of the recipient and to meet farming needs,” reads the report.
The survey shows that 20 percent of Kenyans abroad send money to their mothers followed by sisters at 15 percent while brothers sit at 14 percent.
Most Kenyans in the diaspora are from urban areas mainly; Nairobi, Kiambu, Nyeri, Nakuru, Mombasa, and Kisumu.
Nairobi ranks first as the county of birth as reported by 26 percent of the respondents.
The Survey indicated that Kenyans in diaspora left the country mainly in search of jobs and pursuit of higher education.
Across the regions, the survey finds that the respondents left for Europe, North America and Oceania in pursuit of higher education while those in Asia and African countries mainly left in search of employment.
Oceania had the largest proportion of those who left the country due to family migration while Europe hosts the largest proportion of those who left due to marriage.
Even though Kenyans peruse different ambitions to go abroad, including search for jobs, it has been revealed that Asia and East Africa account for least paying countries.
Kenyans working in these countries, according to the CBK, earned Ksh.227,000 annually, about Ksh.19, 000 monthly.
Incomes are higher for Kenyans living in Europe, Oceania, and North America where Kenyans receive over Ksh.5.6million annually, about Ksh.470,000 monthly.
