INTERVIEW: Janson Mugabe- A Tech Entreprenuer and CEO of MushanAPP

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INTERVIEW: Janson Mugabe- A Tech Entreprenuer and CEO of MushanAPP

Janson-Mugabe---Interview

Mugabe Janson Kagurusi is a professional records manager,go getter and a finance tech entrepreneur and founder / CEO of MushanAPP,a software developed for SACCOs  ( Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies ) , Credit Finance and Micro Finance so as to enhance service delivery.

CONNECT WITH JANSON: Facebook | MushanAPP Official website

Who is Janson Mugabe?

Mugabe Janson Kagurusi is a go getter, born in 1989 to Mr Bernerd Kagurusi and Ann Kagurusi of Kanyatorongo , Kanungu  District . Am a pioneer professional records manager in Uganda , working as a Records officer in the Ministry of Internal affairs. I have a bachelor’s degree in Records and Archives Management from Makerere University majoring in electronic records management and a diploma in ICT from NIIT technologies India and iam the CEO and founder of MushanApp.

Which schools did you attend?

I attended  a number of schools that include Nyakibale Upper , Kishenyi and Runyinya Primary schools, Namiryango S.S.S for  my O-level  and Seroma Christian High school for my A level but I also attended schools like Buddo S.S.S and Lubiri S.S.S.

What’s your current profession?

I am a Records manager.

Tell us more about Mushan APP and why the choice of that name?

MushanAPP is a web based software product for SACCOs  ( Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies ) , Credit Finance and Micro Finance so as to enhance service delivery. MushanAPP is an Electronic-SACCO System seeking to promote a culture of pooling savings in very small amounts on a daily basis based on “economies-of-scale”, investing these savings in income generating projects which affect poor people directly in a beneficial manner.My motivation sprouted out of doing my full time work where i used to entirely depend on my salary that was not sufficient and this forced to think outside the box of a business venture.I borrowed seven million and i started my micro money lending business where i offered soft/simple loans to my colleagues who would pay back with an interest but many defaulted and i was crippled with big losses this was due to the fact of my poor tracking system.

So,in 2014 i started building MushanAPP after my bad experience with my venture,my failure gave me motivation to use ICT as a condute to deliver an efficient financial system.The name Mushana means sunlight in Rukiga and this means we as MushanAPP are giving light to the financial inclusion in Uganda.

MUSHANA DASHBOARD SCREENSHOT

Why the focus on IT Business and to be more specific on SACCOs or Microfinance?

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) now drives businesses in a fast-paced world, where competitiveness and customer satisfaction is measured by efficiency, convenience, delivery speeds and cost-effectiveness. SACCOs cannot escape the hold of ICT over business operations, especially considering that ICT enables businesses to find new ways to drive down the costs of products and processes, in addition to improving performance. MushanApp  aims at bringing SACCOs and the cooperative movement in general into the ICT fold to benefit from technological advances of internet connectivity, electronic communication as well as web-based production and delivery of products and services, besides closer customer service, secure and more data storage, as well as marketing and e-commerce.

 

What challenges did you face or are you facing while setting up and running MushanAPP?

The main challenge is lack of funds because building a software is very expensive and challenging most especially when our people don’t trust locally built softwares. Most people look at softwares built a broad , even government institutions are not supporting  Ugandan innovators . They rather spend billions of many on systems from abroad than supporting a local innovator. I am Happy the president has now realised and ordered the government to secure 150 billion every financial year and set up innovation hubs. This has given me hope that in the near future locally built systems will be supported.

Janson in Office

The main challenge is lack of funds because building a software is very expensive and challenging most especially when our people don’t trust locally built softwares.

How do the SACCOs benefit from using Mushan APP?

MushanApp is a real time integrated system which means that loans, shares, statements, balance sheets, trial balances, income and expenses and all accounting are updated immediately. A customer gets results immediately not at any period end. It is easy to use and very customizable such that all Sacco members’ requirements are met, this helps Saccos to enhance service delivery and it is time and cost effective. In general the following features are available:

  • Membership and Customer Details.
  • Remittance Management.
  • Loan and Share Management.
  • Front Office Customer Service.
  • Fixed Deposits, Standing Orders and Teller Services.
  • Member Specific Reporting and Standard Reporting
  • SMS Services.
  • Ledger Accounting.
  • Budget Accounting.
  • Data Imports and Exports from Microsoft Excel or text files.
  • Unlimited User Customization.

What successes have Mushan APP realized and tell us more about Tony Elumelu Foundation award that you won?

MushanApp is a business and like any other business it has developed socially and economically.  We have been able to meet leaders and successful people in Uganda and other countries like we were honoured to have met the  president of the republic of Uganda His Excellency President Museveni,the Prime minister of Uganda Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda and other successful business men like Dr. Mbonye of Nakasero Hospital and Tony Elumelu UBA owner from Nigeria and many more we have discussed and tried to find solutions to youth unemployment in Uganda. I have traveled to different countries and I will be going to Lagos Nigeria in this year for The award/Grant (TEEP2016) MushanApp won as one of the 1000 best solutions to transform Africa in 2016, TEEP 2016 award is worth $ 5000 in grant and $5000 in Equity.

Janson with President Museveni

Janson with President Museveni

The Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme is the flagship entrepreneurship programme of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, founded by the entrepreneur, respected investor and philanthropist Tony O. Elumelu.

Janson with the Prime Minister Dr.Rugunda

Janson with the Prime Minister Dr.Rugunda

Who are some of your clients?

Some of our clients are KCCB SACCO, Mushana Youth SACCO and more are coming on board because we have been contacted by many SACCOs that require our services and we have met and presented our software to different SACCOs all over Uganda.

What’s your take on the current state of IT in Uganda and what do you think should be done to improve the sector?

Like I said, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) now drives businesses in a fast-paced world, where competitiveness and customer satisfaction is measured by efficiency, convenience, delivery speeds and cost-effectiveness unfortunately Uganda’s ICT ranking globally dropped from the 143rd position out of 190 countries ranked in 2012 to 156 thought of 193 countries ranked in 2014. From a continental angle, Uganda’s ranking dropped by six (6) positions down from position 20 in 2012 to position 26 in 2014. This statistic calls for Uganda to imitate Kenya and agile implementation of best IT practices and matching ICT enabling policies. Five years ago, South Africa was the undisputable ICT hub in Africa but Nairobi, Kenya, has now matured into a globally-recognized hub for technology and innovation of course boosted by government support, interested investors,  and low barriers to entry. Young tech-savvy Kenyans have led the way for this evolution; taking risks, launching new products for the local market. To date, Kenya has had a better policy and legislative environment for tech startups, specifically around the banking and telecom sectors which is still lacking in Uganda.

janson-mushanapp

Where do you see yourself and MushanAPP in the next five years?

Am looking at building MushanApp to become the best solution for delivering financial services at affordable costs to disadvantaged and low-income segments of society because I believe financial inclusion is a key enabler to reducing poverty and boosting prosperity.

How would you like to be remembered?

I would like to be remembered as a great innovator who contributed to the Social and economic growth of my country.

Samuel Kamugisha
Samuel Kamugisha
The Founder of oneqn.net , a prolific Brand Architect with strong belief that positive mindset change can be attained progressively.