For many Kenyans, the Covid-19 pandemic has flipped their lives upside down. But work and learning aren't the only facets that have been affected.
Sundays have become drastically different for many Kenyans, who had long become accustomed to specific activities.
Classic experiences that defined Sundays across Kenyan households have become a thing of the past, primarily due to various restrictions in place to curb the spread of the pandemic.
1. Church Services and Sunday School
For many Christians in Kenya, the most obvious change has been on attending Sunday service at their churches.
Even after churches and other places of worship were re-opened with strict Covid-19 protocols, many congregants have stayed away. Several churches have also opted to postpone re-opening for Sunday services.
As a result, many Sunday services have shifted to platforms including TV and live streams on YouTube and Facebook among others.
For the young ones, Sunday school has also become an almost forgotten tradition. Some families have been conducting small services at home for their spiritual nourishment.
Others have gotten innovative, with children in some Nairobi apartments taking part in socially distanced Sunday services from their balconies.
2. Eating Out on Sunday Afternoons
Hotels and restaurants used to prepare for increased traffic on Sunday afternoons, aware of the numerous families, friends and individuals that had made eating out on Sundays a habit.
It was a tradition for many families, a way of spending quality time with loved ones after a long week.
With the Covid-19 pandemic, however, it has become another experience no longer considered an integral part of peoples' Sundays.
Hotels remain open under strict Covid-19 protocols, but many of them have witnessed decreased foot traffic with many of their customers staying home. Some leading restaurant chains have instituted take-away only measures, further affecting the situation.
3. Chama Meetings
For many community groups including self-help groups and chamas, Sunday was the ideal day for meetings before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sundays were considered ideal as members of different groups are usually free, allowing them to meet to review progress, strategise and craft new goals.
Meetings were held at locations including members' homes, hotels, bars and other social joints.
Many of these meetings have since shifted to the digital sphere, taking place on Zoom and Whatsapp.
4. Visiting Stadiums, Beaches and Outdoor Parks
Sporting activities in the country were cancelled at the onset of the pandemic in April, with events including the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) scrapped mid-season.
For many who enjoyed spending their Sundays following their teams at stadiums including Kasarani in Nairobi, Green Stadium in Kericho and Bukhungu in Kakamega, their weekends were dramatically affected.
Guidelines for the resumption of sports activities were, however, published at the end of August, offering hope to fans that they would soon return to the stadiums.
Many who visited outdoor parks such as Uhuru Park in Nairobi have also shied away from such visits during the Covid-19 pandemic. This can be explained in part by government advice to citizens to stay home.
Public beaches including in Mombasa continue to attract visitors, but the numbers are lower compared to the pre-pandemic period when tourism was thriving.
5. Sunday Night Parties
Before bars and clubs were ordered shut to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, Sunday was one of the most important days for the entertainment joints.
Leading nightclubs in Nairobi and Mombasa, for example, had introduced special Sunday theme nights.
These social events offered many Kenyans an opportunity to unwind after a long week. With the joints closed, revelers are now spending their Sunday nights at home.
Liquor stores have witnessed increased traffic as many of those who frequented bars resort to drinking at home.
