Kenya
Chama app: track merry-go-round contributions and run your chama
Nyocte is a free chama app for Kenya. Record merry-go-round and table-banking contributions, run meetings and elections, and keep your chama's books open to every member.
What it is
What is a chama?
Also known as: merry-go-round, table banking, investment group
A chama is a Kenyan savings and investment group. Some run a simple merry-go-round where the pot rotates each month; others do table banking, lend to members at interest, or invest together in land, shares, or a business. Chamas range from five friends to registered groups with a constitution, elected officials, and an annual general meeting.
The treasurer's spreadsheet and the M-Pesa message thread carry most chamas today. That leaves members asking for statements, officials reconciling by hand, and decisions lost in chat. Nyocte gives the chama one record for contributions, loans, and payouts, and keeps meetings, minutes, and votes in the same place.
On Nyocte
How your chama runs on Nyocte.
- 01
Create the chama and elect the officials.
Choose the savings group setup, invite members, and assign the chairperson, treasurer, and secretary. Add custom roles if your constitution needs them.
- 02
Record contributions, loans, and payouts.
Keep the merry-go-round, the savings account, and any loan fund as separate accounts. Members see their statement; officials see the whole ledger.
- 03
Run the meeting and the AGM in the app.
Set the agenda, take attendance, record minutes, and run elections or rule changes as votes with quorum. Fines for lateness are configured by the group.
What you get
The record, the meetings, and the decisions, together.
- 01
A contribution record every member can see, with who paid, when, and what is still outstanding.
- 02
A rotation schedule that shows whose turn is next and what has already been paid out.
- 03
Separate accounts for the merry-go-round, savings, and a loan fund.
- 04
Roles for the chair, treasurer, and secretary, so the right people can record, review, and approve.
- 05
Votes with deadlines and quorum for rule changes, penalties, and new members.
- 06
Meetings with agendas, attendance, and minutes kept next to the money.
- 07
Fines and reminders for late contributions, configured by the group, with a record of every appeal.
- 08
Export of the ledger, member list, and minutes whenever the group needs it.
Before you start
आम सवाल
Is Nyocte free for a chama?
Yes. The app is free for every group, with no member limit and no premium tier. Payment processing, where your group chooses to use it, is handled by a payment provider and can carry a fee. Record-keeping, meetings, votes, and chat cost nothing.
Does Nyocte hold the group's money?
No. Nyocte keeps the record. Contributions can still be collected the way your chama already collects them: cash at the meeting, bank transfer, or mobile money. Where in-app payments are available, they are processed by a licensed payment provider and Nyocte does not hold funds.
Can we record M-Pesa contributions?
Yes. Members pay the way the chama already collects, including M-Pesa, and the treasurer records each payment in Nyocte so the statement matches.
Does Nyocte support table banking and loans?
The group can keep a loan fund as its own account and record loans and repayments against members. Interest rules are set and recorded by the group.
Make your first move.
Start on your phone, invite your members, and record the next contribution in Nyocte.
Set up your chamaRead the contribution checklist →