“Si Lazima Uoe Sasa”: Why Many Kenyan Men Are Delaying Marriage
Back in the day, turning 30 as a man meant one thing — umeiva . Your parents started hinting, your aunties started introducing you to “a good girl from church,” and your boys started calling you mzee wa nyumba . Marriage was the badge of maturity — the moment society declared you a real man. But these days, things have changed. The new generation of men — especially those between 25 and 35 — are hitting that milestone and just… chilling. No rush, no panic. It’s not that they don’t believe in marriage; it’s that life feels too heavy to carry both ambition and dowry at the same time. 1. Hustle First, Love Later Ask any guy in his late 20s in Nairobi , Nakuru , or Eldoret what’s stopping him from settling down, and he’ll probably laugh before saying, “Bro, si bado sina pesa?” The reality is harsh — weddings cost, rent costs, everything costs. Even love, these days, has bills attached. Between paying HELB , trying to build something small on the side, and fighting to stay afloat in this...
