Kenyans are avid readers, study

Participants during the launch of reading habit survey by the Kenya national library services at the Panafric hotel. The survey revealed that 85.1 %of the literate population had read something in the last one year and 75.6% of these read newspapers. PHOTO/ MICHAEL MUTE

Who said Kenyans do not have a reading culture? Well, a new survey shows that 85 per cent of Kenyans have been classified as avid readers.

The survey released on Monday by the Kenya National Library Services shows that majority of Kenyans regarded reading highly and in the past one year, they had “read something”, be it a book, magazine, professional journal or the information available on the internet.

And contrary to the widely-held belief, the study also found that Kenyans no longer read just to pass an exam.

In fact, according to the study, 85 per cent of Kenyans who read did so to increase their knowledge while 74 per cent read for pleasure.

Newspapers topped the list of materials that had found the greatest favour among readers, followed by magazines, religious books and works of fiction in that order.

Even though majority of the respondents said they read at home, few said they read as a family, or even had a family reading hour.

Out of 950 people who were interviewed, 39 per cent said they read books to their children under the age of five years.

“Reading is a way of life,” said National Heritage permanent secretary Jacob ole Miaron when he launcheed the survey in Nairobi on Monday.

He reading should not be a mechanical classroom affair of dealing with symbols and numerals but something “which must be integrated into all forms of human activity”.

“As a country, we have to be concerned about our reading culture because information is the solid rock upon which any meaningful development lies,” he said and described the lack of a consistent reading culture AS “a disease that is ailing the nation and whose cure must be sought early in life.”

Despite having showed a poor reading culture in the past, nearly all Kenyans questioned by the researchers acknowledged that reading was an essential part of life.

Said Dr Miaron: “This is a very encouraging revelations as it shows that Kenyans appreciate that this is the only way to remain competitive globally.”

The survey was carried out last month.

Questionnaires were used as the main research method. However, it emerged that it was not clear what reading meant for the respondents.

Ms Caroline Sabiri, who headed the research, could not explain what she meant by asking Kenyans if they read.

She said that anyone who had read anything in the last one year was part of the 85 per cent. This could include anyone who has read signs and medical prescriptions!

Book publishers who attended the launch gave mixed reactions on whether general books sold more than school text books.

The Kenya National Library Services has 54 libraries in various towns country wide.

In this financial year, it was allocated Sh35 million to buy new books for the libraries.

The libraries are attended by nearly one million readers per year and has book stock value of Sh335 million.

The launch of the survey comes about two months before the annual Nairobi International Book Fair and the National Book Week, which will be observed from September 27.