Meet Kenyan Businessman Behind MajiApp Connecting Water Buyers With Sellers, Partnership With M-Pesa

• Over 9.9 million Kenyans lack access to safe drinking water, with the scarcity of the commodity worsened by climate change
• Erick Oduor spent five years conducting research on water issues in arid and semi-arid regions while working at IBM, an American multinational technology company
• This led him to develop MajiApp, a digital platform aimed at enhancing water quality and accessibility in rural and urban areas

TUKO.co.ke journalist Japhet Ruto brings over eight years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting, offering deep insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.

According to the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), at least 9.9 million Kenyans get their water from contaminated surface sources.

However, UNICEF noted that in the last two decades, there has been a 12% rise in the availability of safe drinking water.

The increasing water demand in Kenya and its scarcity have led to severe health concerns.

Water accessibility is affected by several factors, including urbanisation, population growth, climate change, and poor resource management.

Why Erick Odour developed MajiApp

Erick Oduor spent five years conducting research on water issues in arid and semi-arid regions while working at IBM, an American multinational technology company.

In an exclusive interview with TUKO.co.ke, he expounded that what he found out ignited his passion for leveraging technology to solve real-world problems, specifically the challenges related to water access and quality.

This led him to develop MajiApp, a digital platform to enhance water quality and accessibility.

"The MajiApp creates a network of buyers and vendors, ensuring secure and transparent transactions with its integrated payment wallet. This wallet facilitates easy management of transactions and provides detailed histories, enhancing user confidence," Oduor said.

Who uses MajiApp?

The Rotman Business School MBA holder explained that the app earns revenue through transaction commissions and boosts engagement via SMS alerts.

It is designed for diverse sectors like residential, commercial, agriculture, and community initiatives.

"MajiApp supports a range of needs, from family water deliveries in scarce regions to steady supplies for businesses and events. This approach not only simplifies water distribution but also makes it more reliable and accessible for all users."

As of Tuesday, May 2, over 600 vendors were registered on the app and undergoing verification.

At the same time, Odour revealed close to 10,000 buyers had registered on the MajiApp.

"I have employed 18 people. They include developers, admins, sales people, and we also have four interns," Odour disclosed.

MajiApp's partnership with Safaricom

Oduor said MajiApp's partnership with Safaricom, a giant telecommunications company, addressed several critical problems related to water service delivery, including transparency in water sourcing and pricing.

The partnership empowers water vendors by offering a platform to connect with consumers directly and provide services more efficiently.

"Integrating MajiApp with Safaricom's M-Pesa app makes water services more accessible to a large population, enabling Kenyans to purchase water easily and efficiently using their mobile phones," he said.

According to the businessman, it also reduces vendor costs by eliminating the need for additional delivery fees, ultimately benefiting both vendors and consumers.

"MajiApp prioritises security through its partnership with Safaricom, ensuring all M-Pesa transactions are authorised within the app's secure payment flow. This guarantees the safety of transactions between buyers and sellers. MajiApp is registered as a data processor by the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, and sensitive customer data is encrypted," Oduor said.

What is Chumz?

In other news, three Kenyan friends developed an app to address the poor savings culture among hustlers.

Before launching Chumz, Titus Marenye, Njogu Kinyanjui, and Samuel Njuguna conducted research that revealed a huge savings and investment gap in Kenya.

Data by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) revealed that about 13.9 million Kenyans had no retirement savings scheme.

Two years after starting operations, the Chumz team onboarded over 100,000 retail users to the platform, who collectively invested over KSh 500 million.

Proofreading by Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke

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Erick Oduor shows a female customer how MajiApp works.

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