Kenya: Why Everyone Is Rushing to the Village This Christmas Despite Economic Upheavels

Nairobi — As buses snake their way out of the capital and towns fall quieter, one truth remains clear. At Christmas, the village is the place to be. It is a refuge a reminder of who people are beneath the pressures of city life.

The familiar December ritual is already in full swing over several Nairobi’s bus and matatus termini.

Luggage is piled high, matatus are filled beyond capacity, and long-distance buses rumble out of the city packed with passengers bound for upcountry destinations. For…