Lipa Polepole Policy

Lipa Polepole, meaning pay gradually in Swahili, allows customers to reserve selected merchandise by paying a deposit upfront and completing the balance in one or more later payments within a defined period. This policy governs all Lipa Polepole transactions on the platform.

Eligible Products

Lipa Polepole is available only for products explicitly marked as eligible at the point of purchase. Not all products qualify, and eligibility may be withdrawn for specific products at any time before a plan is initiated.

Deposit

The minimum deposit required to initiate a Lipa Polepole plan is 30% of the listed product price, unless a different minimum deposit is displayed on the product or checkout page. The Ministry may require a higher deposit for certain products or order values.

Completion Period

The default completion period is 30 calendar days from the date the deposit is confirmed. A different completion period may be displayed on the product page or during checkout. The completion period will be confirmed in the customer Lipa Polepole plan details and balance notification.

Reservation Upon Deposit

Once the deposit is confirmed:

• The selected item is reserved in inventory for the customer.
• The customer receives a balance summary and payment link.
• The plan dashboard will show total price, deposit paid, balance remaining, due date, and payment status.

Pickup and Delivery After Full Payment

Items purchased under a Lipa Polepole plan are released for pickup or delivery only after the full outstanding balance has been paid and confirmed. A deposit or partial payment reserves the item but does not qualify the customer for pickup or delivery. This condition applies regardless of how close the request is to the due date.

Balance Payments

The customer may pay the remaining balance in a single payment or in multiple partial payments before or on the due date. All payments must be made through the payment link provided. The balance page will display:

• Total product price.
• Total amount paid to date.
• Remaining balance.
• Due date.
• Current payment status.
• Pickup or delivery eligibility status.

Overdue Payments

The Ministry will manage overdue Lipa Polepole plans as follows:

• Day 1 after due date: an automated payment reminder is sent by SMS or email.
• Day 7 after due date: a second reminder is sent, and the admin team may contact the customer directly.
• Day 14 after due date: if no payment has been received and no extension has been agreed, the Ministry may cancel the plan and release the reserved stock.

The Ministry may agree to extend the completion period before Day 14. Extension requests must be submitted before the original due date or within the first 7 days after it. Extensions are not automatic and are granted case by case by the admin team. Any agreed extension will be recorded in the admin dashboard and communicated to the customer in writing.

Cancellation

A customer may request cancellation of a Lipa Polepole plan at any time before full payment is made. The Ministry may also cancel a plan where:

• The payment balance remains overdue past Day 14 and no extension has been agreed.
• The product is no longer available.
• There is evidence of platform misuse or fraudulent activity.

All cancellations must be recorded in the admin dashboard with a note including the reason, date, amount paid to date, and responsible admin.

Refunds Under Lipa Polepole

Refunds for amounts paid under a Lipa Polepole plan are not automatic upon cancellation. Refund decisions will be made case by case, taking into account:

• Whether the item was reserved or custom-produced.
• The reason for cancellation and which party initiated it.
• Administrative and holding costs incurred.
• Payment provider transaction charges.
• The stage at which the plan was cancelled.

Where a refund is approved, it will be processed in accordance with the Refund Policy, including the 7-14 business day processing timeline. If the Ministry initiates cancellation because of product unavailability, a full refund of all amounts paid will be processed.

Product Changes

Payments made under a Lipa Polepole plan cannot be automatically transferred to a different product. Any request to change the reserved product requires admin approval and may require a new plan to be initiated. The Ministry is not obligated to approve product change requests.

Customer Responsibility

The customer is responsible for:

• Making all balance payments on time within the stated period.
• Keeping a record of order and payment references.
• Using the correct balance payment link.
• Providing accurate and up-to-date contact information.
• Following pickup or delivery instructions upon full payment.
• Requesting extensions before the due date where necessary.