Benson Muli 42
Shopkeeper
My customers have reduced buying essentials by at least 50% this week alone.
So, families that were buying one milk and bread daily are now only buying it 3 times a week at best.
I am already having discussions with some who want credit, they hadn’t even cleared last month’s debts, so I am worried that I will never get that money back, it is looking like bad debt to me already.
You see this business is about relationship I know my customers very well on what they can and do and what they can’t afford. I am afraid they have to go to work daily to sustain themselves.
In case government people announce a shutdown, they should come up with a plan on how to feed people here daily. You can’t tell people who were struggling before in the invisible market to die in their houses.
We have understood the government message about health safety and we try to provide water and such, however we can’t completely not handle money. How do I get 10 shillings MPESA transaction for salt?
People here understand the risk but let me ask you, don’t you think we deal with diseases here and poverty every day? This is normal to us and maybe, abnormal for you guys (middle class)