NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 25 – A new poll has projected a growing number of women under 30 considering marriage as a non-priority due to career ambitions, financial independence, and personal freedom.The study, published by Mwelekeo Insights on Tuesday, revealed that 53 per cent of the 2,687 respondents interviewed preferred not to marry, while only 29 per cent said they looked forward to marriage. The pollster noted that 18 per cent of respondents were unsure.The respondents cited career ambitions (31 per cent), financial independence (52 per cent), and personal freedom (17 per cent) as key reasons for deprioritizing marriage.Mwelekeo Insights reported a split in perceptions of societal pressure as a factor influencing marriage decisions, with 50 per cent of respondents citing increased pressure while the other half reported a decline.The study found that 60 per cent of respondents believed marriage would impede their personal freedom, while 25 per cent viewed marriage as a positive change. Another 15 per cent were neutral.“Women with higher education levels (university and above) showed astronger tendency to focus on career growth over marriage compared tothose with only secondary education,” the pollster reported.On the ideal age for marriage, 30 per cent of respondents said they would prefer to marry between the ages of 28 and 30, while 45 per cent said they felt comfortable marrying after 30. The poll also showed that 18 per cent of women under 30 were unsure of the ideal age to marry.The study further revealed that 80 per cent of women would prioritize career and financial stability over marriage.Mwelekeo Insights also found that 56 per cent of women interviewed said their views on marriage had evolved over time. Among them, 31 per cent had developed a negative perception of marriage, while 13 per cent reported a more positive outlook.Additionally, the study revealed that 59 per cent of women under 30 do not see marriage as essential to living a fulfilled life, while 41 per cent expressed a contrary opinion.Mwelekeo Insights noted that 53 per cent of respondents said their views were influenced by religious beliefs, while 33 per cent said religion had minimal impact, and 14 per cent stated it had no impact at all.When asked whether they would consider a polygamous marriage, 51 per cent of respondents said they would accept polygamy if it improved their financial situation.The study also showed that women with university education were more likely to deprioritize marriage (67 per cent) compared to those with secondary school education or less (33 per cent).Non-religious women were also more likely to consider marriage unnecessary (70 per cent).Additionally, women identifying as urban were more likely to deprioritize marriage (62 per cent) compared to rural women (38 per cent).