By CAROL Kasujja

Tuesday was Valentine’s Day and love was in the air. Two surveys conducted last week among urban dwellers in Uganda and Kenya show that while the Ugandans are enthusiastic about it, their Kenyan counterparts are more worried about the costs the day brings.

An Ipsos-Synovate survey of urban dwellers in both Uganda and Kenya found that 65% of Ugandans intend to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

However, more than half (51%) of Kenyans are not interested in the day. For 18% of these Kenyans, the inhibiting factor is money, while only 5% of Ugandans give the same reason.

In another survey by the Vision Group research team, 78% of Ugandans surveyed feel their expenditure on Valentine’s Day gifts and outings is justified. Respondents in the Vision survey said they expected gifts (23%), outings (23%), quality time (19%), flowers (12%) and outfits (10%) for the day to be meaningful.

In the Ipsos-Synovate survey, women in both countries wish to get red roses which had the highest mention at 30% followed by clothes (18 to 22%) and romantic dinners at 10% of the mentions.

Men, on the other hand, expected gifts of shirts, ties and trousers and romantic dinner in 8 to 10% of mentions.

In the Vision Group Survey, more women (27%) than men (23%) preferred a gift whereas more men (25%) compared to women (20%) preferred an outing. In an interesting twist, more men (13%) than women (11%) also mentioned expecting flowers on Valentine’s Day.

In the Vision Group survey, more than half of the respondents (54%) reported to either be married or staying with a partner and 38% reported to be single. However, when asked who they celebrated the day with, only 36% reported celebrating the day with their spouses. This may mean that 18% of marrieds surveyed in Uganda are celebrating the day with somebody else other than the spouse.

The Vision Group research team surveyed 407 Ugandans aged 25 to 50 years of mainly tertiary and university education level, while the Ipsos-Synovate one surveyed urban dwellers of 18+ years in both Uganda and Kenya. Both surveys were conducted last week.

vision survey
Since it occurs once in a year, no one wants to miss the perfect opportunity to impress those they share love with. A recent study conducted in Kampala reveals that 98% of both men and women aged between 25 and 45 celebrate Valentines’ Day.
The research, conducted by a Vision Group research team among 407 male and female respondents in Kampala, showed that the biggest number that celebrates the day do so to express love (31%).

But not all who celebrate Valentine’s do it at their own will.  While 59% do not feel pressured to honour the day, 41% admit that they are pressured to engage in it. The survey discovered that more females than males feel pressured to observe the day yet the reverse is true for the liberty to mark Valentine’s. By large, the genesis of love towards one’s partner.

It is said campus is the only place one can get to enjoy one’s life to the fullest. Indeed, the Vision research revealed that for those for celebrate Valentine’s, most started the practice at campus (26%) while 18% started in high school.

Besides, the study also indicates that most people who observe Valentine’s Day prefer having a dinner out to any other activity (46%). About 15% will feel satisfied at the beach, 12% will enjoy the day out with friends, but 11% will settle for home, sleep or be with family. While 9% will hit the club, 4% will go by their normal daily routine.

The Vision study indicates that 40% of the people spend between the pressure is the need to express l50,000 and sh100,000 on Valentine’s Day,  28% between sh100,000 and sh200,000 and 10% spend more than sh200,000 on their partners. About 22% said they cannot exceed sh50,000 on the day’s expenditure.

PSOS-SYNOVATE STUDY
A new survey by Ipsos-Synovate shows that 65% of Ugandan urban dwellers see the day as significant and, therefore, intend to celebrate it with their loved ones. The Synovate Iresearch, conducted on February 9, featured 1,045 respondents.

Both surveys found out that about 70% of the respondents would celebrate the day of love with those they share an intimate relationship with – boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse. A shared 30% will mark the day with their friends or family.

For the gift to buy one’s Valentine, the Synovate study shows that 24% will buy clothes, 23% red roses, 18% will take their Valentine out for a dinner for two, while 12% prefer buying a romantic card. Top of expectation from the male respondents were clothes, and roses (flowers) for their female counterparts.

Being a day to receive, give and also share, Valentine’s Day has a financial aspect woven around it. Some people do not celebrate the day due to financial reasons. According to the findings, 51% of Kenyans do not intend to celebrate the day but only 35% of Ugandans indicated the lack of intention to show some love.

The main reasons mentioned are no belief in the day for 30% of Kenyans and 22% of Ugandans; 22% of Kenyans gave the excuse that they would be working compared to 15% of Ugandans Only 5% of Ugandans indicated

they will not celebrating the day due to financial reasons compared to 18% of Kenyans citing the same reason. Though inflation has hit Ugandans more.

So where are you likely to find love if you were looking for it today? The numbers do not lie — it is in Uganda! Happy Valentine’s Day.