Woman closes business after Lugari KMTC students ate food and failed to pay

A woman at Panpaper Market in Lugari Sub-County is agonizing over the loss of her business after a bunch of students at the Kenya Medical Training College, Lugari Campus, ordered food at her joint and failed to pay.

The woman was forced to close down after the students ate food worth an amount that would buy her new stock and lied that they had paid through Mpesa before they hurriedly left.

Her friend, who narrated the story on condition of anonymity, said the disappointed woman closed business the same evening after checking her Mpesa and was shocked to find the money no money had been sent.

Some traders who spoke to the Western Kenya Times admitted falling victim to the fraud perpetrated by the students who buy goods from shops and stalls and reverse money after paying through Mpesa.

Mama mbogas, the women who sell groceries, are the ones most affected.

Mama Praxdies, who sells fish and other foodstuffs, said she recently lost Sh200 after a student bought fish and paid via Mpesa, only for the money to be reversed from her phone.

“They have parents just like us hustling elsewhere, so that behavior is very dangerous. I was forced to open a Pochi la Bishara account after I discovered I was running a loss. I personally have forgiven them, but they should stop,” she said.

Jomo Ibrahim, whose business neighbors Mama Praxdies’, said the behavior has taken root to the point that they have decided not to accept Mpesa payments at all.

“You can imagine that you have a loan that you should pay, and you’re depending on the business to feed your kids. Yes, the economy is tough, but why would you reverse the Sh20 that I sorely depend on for my business to survive? He said.

WKT Reporter

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