Nervous, tension, suspicion etc
Is all the negativity that comes when you finally land the coveted government tender! It is especially hard for a first timer, you have a swam of people rooting for your failure and more often than not - they wish thunder and lightning upon you!! Mind you, these are the same people who gave you that job - it beats me, perhaps I'll understand the reason behind it one day!!
Let me tell you something small about government tenders in Kenya.
Death.....
The lobbying that is behind the scene is not short of a a Hollywood movie! You have the sharks and the ocres that swim deep and eat fat and plenty - these are called the cartels. They control the government behind the scene, they share amongst themselves who gets what and who gets NOT! They feed in deep waters, they swim along shore eating the leftovers and leave nothing along the way even for the smaller fish to feed!
Stories have been heard of young promising business people been kidnapped, hacked and shot! Its been rumoured and mentioned - business gone sour! Or even a love triangle, but we have known all along that the sharks don't like competition and anyone snooping around the deep waters is met with equal force. Any attempts to do that have been meet ruthlessly with dire consequences!
I am sure that this is not news to you and it is what that happens in your country! It is a real struggle to come into a single government tender and when you finally land one, all efforts are made to ensure that you fail! Late payments, uncoperataive employer, misdirections you name it - they will test you!
Only the strong survive.
The faint hearted have no place in this world so they say - it is true! Your will is tested to the limit with these tenders, your body mind and soul determines your success and your possible qualification as a shark! It is a separation of wheat from chaff.
My day was stressful, my head almost burst in pain, my phone ringtone still buzzes in my head though my phone is off - from the numerous constant calls!
I didn't know setting up two carpets would be strenuous as hell. It must feel good to be a VIP.
But on the flip side...
- Lessons learnt
- Friends made (enemy becomes friend)
- First government gig
- Working under pressure
Having coffee as i write this to bring back my sense.
Overall performance... EXCELLENT