Kenyans in the diaspora prefer sending money to their mothers
Fathers rank fourth among relatives that receive dollars from Kenyans abroad indicating how diaspora prefer sending money to their mothers.
A survey done by the Central Bank of Kenya shows 20 percent of those polled wired money to their mothers.
About 15 percent of respondents send money to their sisters and 14 percent wired dollars back to their brothers.
Only 11 percent of Kenyans abroad send money to their fathers showing the perceptions of Kenyan children who prefer sending money to their mothers.
“You all know the thing is that if you send money to your mother she will use it well in the home fathers it will just end in a bar,” a lady who identified herself as Diana said.
Kenyans sent home a record Kes421.9 billion ($3.718 billion) last year up from Sh351 billion ($3.094 billion) in a similar period in 2020.
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Remittances are directed at family members, who are largely self-employed, unemployed, or students.
About half of the total remitted was allocated to investment in real estate (land and buildings) for recipients, mortgage payment for senders, and purchase of food and household goods.
Only 5 percent send money to their wives at home with the CBK speculating that most Kenyans are living in the diaspora with their families.
“A paltry 5 percent of respondents sent remittances to their spouses. This supports the findings that the majority of respondents were married, hence living abroad with their families,” CBK said.
