Kenyans are hoping that the new year will be kinder to them compared to 2023, which they said pushed them to their limits.
Paul Makau, has already decided what he wants in the new year: “In 2024, I intend to completely disengage from anything that does not add value to my life. Anything, be it relationships, unhealthy food, habits that do not improve my life will have to be left behind.”
For his part, Luke Mwangi, an artist, says he will continue with the resolutions he failed to fulfill in 2023, hoping that his dreams will come true in the new year.
He tells the Nation that although he started 2023 full of optimism, unlike previous years, it ended up being the one in which he had no choice but to stop some of his plans.
Contrary to his expectations, Mwangi reveals that he was only able to partially fulfill his resolutions, blaming the increased taxes introduced by President William Ruto’s regime.
“2023 is the year I thought I would achieve a large part of my resolutions. On a scale of 1 to 10, I can honestly say that I achieved a little over half,” he says.
“The President should slow down on taxes because they really affect Kenyans. For example, those who had planned to buy vehicles in 2024 will have to go back to the drawing board because of the newly announced rates,” he said.
Lucy Imani, a teacher by profession, prefers to live life one day at a time and 2024 will be no different.
“I make resolutions and sometimes even write them down on New Year’s eve. The problem is that I rarely follow through, and the notebook even disappears at some point. I just prefer to live and take life as it comes,” she reveals.
According to a poll conducted by Nation.Africa, many Kenyans have opted to steer away from resolutions for 2024.
Omar Ali is one of them and uses the popular phrase bora uhai (as long as I’m alive) to make his point.
The businessman, who runs an electronics shop in the capital, says with the turbulence he’s had to endure in the past 12 months, his main concern is to be alive and well in the coming year.
“The resolutions are there, but what is the point of making them?” he asks. According to the father of three, the prevailing tough economic times have made it difficult to accomplish anything substantial, so he has no choice but to focus on making it out alive with his loved ones.
“Things are tough, as parents we are now worried about how to pay the children’s school fees at the beginning of the year, prices have skyrocketed. The most important thing is life and health,” he said.
Many parents are determined to spend less time on the phone and practise more patience, discipline and consistency as their top resolutions for 2024, according to a recent University of Michigan Children’s Health Survey.
Researchers from C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital explained that “significant events, such as the beginning of a new calendar or school year, provide families with motivation to improve their emotional and physical health, as well as an opportunity for self-reflection”.
“In an effort to improve their approach to parenting, parents pay attention to things they would like to improve, such as their own and their children’s well-being, supporting their children’s connection to the larger community, and becoming more engaged,” it said.
According to the findings, a large number of parents, over 50 per cent, intend to reduce their phone screen time, while three-quarters are determined to be more patient.
In terms of wellness and exercise, nearly half of the parents surveyed vowed to provide healthier snacks and meals, while more than a third planned to exercise with their children. One-third of fathers and about half of mothers made resolutions to change some aspect of their parenting.
The experts found that about three-quarters of parents who made resolutions not only believed they helped their children achieve their goals, but also felt they were better parents.
