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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 KenyaForum 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 centdeclaring 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.

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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 theirextended 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.