I agree with @Bangaiza Salinga . I have been through that road one too many times. Nowadays I cannot take an assignment without a substantial deposit (upwards of 40%) even if it is a repeat client because people are evil. Legal redress is too expensive and uncertain in Kenya.
True, any business man/woman/trader/hustler who has been around the blocks has been conned somehow. The challenge is to overcome the inner voice urging you to get even, seek revenge… You will waste time, money and more emotions! You will be fighting battles you are new to and these guys are hardened connmen, they know their ways around police stations, lawyers, The only way these guys are ever stopped is when their bodies are found floating in river…
Mmoja alifanya nikatae kurenew contract in 2007 after he offered me lucrative consultancy deals… then I was clocking 80k but being worked like a donkey, being driven from back to back assignments… The guy had a very good flow of assignments from main donors and was offered me 30% on assignments after expenses. Nikaruka huko kichwa kichwa… The first assignment was MFI country study in for USD 18,000, nikamaliza but before payment a value chain study USD 13,000 nikachapa, then Ikaja a baseline, I think USD 6,000 nikachapa… so in a period of about 5 months I had completed 3 assignments but broke…apart from the small deposits for field visits allowances sikuwa nimelipwa.
Man in my mind I was expecting at least USD 6,000 … nikiitisha pesa, sijui sijalipwa.
I had the hardest time of my life… I had to swallow my vomit and grovel for morsels from my former employer…Its during this period when I tricked a watchman with a jogoo to escape being auctioned by the landlord
@Okiya. You dont have to quit side jobs because of payment. All you do is initially device a payment plan eg a small fee (retainer) at startup, 10% payment after a certain progress, 33% payment at a certain point, etc. Carefully word this eg, it is money you require for materials and your time. This is because, sometimes you are doing work for a friend and they dont understand this. This also is a way to gauge their ability to pay. If they dont want or cant pay you 33%, how will they pay you 100%. Friends or associates are the worst. Its better to do work for strangers. Remember, if you dont get a payment, no matter what, do not proceed beyond that point. And dont feel mercy. I have a close friend lawyer who processes for me my documents from time to time. If I owe him even ksh 100, he will not release that deed. He will give me all sorts of excuses until I clear the balance. No amount of beer will make him change his mind.
In your case, if you have a legal written contract, use soft channels and if those dont work use the legal system. You will eventually get your payment, problem is the time it will take.
just for the future before you do any hustles, have a contract at hand, atleast set a minimum deposit to pay before work actually begins. And if the other party doesn’t honour your agreement, you can always go to court. you’l cry in the toilet but not for too long because the law will protect you.
After losing some good money through such circumstances, any solution I implement normally have a timer which I allow 5 days above the client’s credit period.After that the solution stops working and they themselves come looking for me armed with a cheque but I wait for it to mature first.
But I understand you are an accountant,sasa wewe lazima uitishe through legal way