paying debt is a very bad habit and Kenyans who lend money to others are no stranger to the amount of annoyance it causes.
Well, paying debt is nothing to be applauded because you have to. However, repaying it in a poor fashion annoys more than defaulting.
At least I don’t lend more than I borrow but the fewer times I’ve lent friends money have revealed to me so much about those moments some of them ended up paying back.
A friend recently approached me after me chasing him for quite a while to repay my Ksh. 3,000. Yes, only 3K.
He arrived at my doorstep knocked on my wooden door. I was slapped with a gloomy face, a light skinned dude turned pale, looking as if he was going to give me an improved version of the many excuses he used to make that loan overdue.
“Here is you money, ” he said.
“Pole kwa kukaisha (sorry for the delay in payment) ”
I subconsciously smiled at my cash forgetting about the misery and gloom on his face. I was woken up to the realization that he was damn sad for giving it out after I met a joke on social media that Kenyans wear serious faces when repaying debts. Someone twists their mouth until it nearly touches their ear.
They don’t even appreciate your kindness to bail them out of a problem they were humbly lamenting to you about.
If you set out to settle your debt, do it gladly. Put on a smile that possibly tells your lender, “Hey, thank you for saving my staggering economic situation that, otherwise, hopeless day. ”
Do not fold your hands at the back as if you are bereaved. Avoid bowing your head until your chin looks heavy and wishes to rest on your chest.
Some of these traits in my Africa may be a curse to the lender’s money and may hinder them from chewing the paper with peace. If your heart can’t handle being glad during the hard task then quit borrowing.
By Gorge Misati Journalist
