Riding high in computer software business

 By Fredrick Obura

The high cost of licensed software has over the past put a cap on innovation among entrepreneurs, not only in Kenya but the world over.

The exorbitant licence fee and maintenance cost of licensed software, which runs into thousands of shillings, has locked out those with limited resources.

In finding a solution, many opt for pirated software, but this has its implications.

For instance, a number have been locked in prison or parted ways with big amounts of money in fines.

Ms Dorcas Muthoni, a Nairobi based IT entrepreneur, managing director and founder of the Open World Limited, however, thinks otherwise.

In 2004 upon resigning from a job as head of technical operations, the 31-year old established the software development company riding on non-licensed software (Free and Open Source Software).

Openworld Limited is applying the open-source software solution to generate applications for users, while keeping prices low.

In an interview with Financial Journal, Ms Muthoni, the computer science graduate says her entry into system development was greatly influenced by the availability of Free and Open Source Software online.

This helped her establish a footprint in an industry previously considered a male territory.

Currently, her company with vast interests in human resource system, e-government solutions and Enterprise Resource Management has a portfolio of who is who in corporate and governance.

Her clients include Central Bank of Kenya, East African Breweries, Standard Chartered Bank, Unilever Tea and the Capital Markets Authority.

Others include Department of Defence, Attorney General Chambers and the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.

Career boom

The customer base spans beyond the Kenyan border to Uganda Bureau of Statistics and Medical Stores Department (Tanzania)

In 2008 and better part of last year, she says her IT career blossomed.

Her business grew to accommodate ten more employees. She had to rent office space at Kenindia House within Nairobi’s Central Business District.

She says with the advent of cheap and faster Internet, it is easy to establish a software company.

"Previously, generating capital to buy licensed software and the maintenance costs were barriers. Currently, a developer can easily download software online and customise it as per the local market need."

The Free and Open Source Software makes it possible to make software available to people who would otherwise not afford it.

According to Muthoni, young entrepreneurs could use the opportunity for business.

She says the dawn of accessible software offers a wide range of opportunities to the impoverished people in third world countries.

"Technology has worked wonders and participated in building leading economies. With the advent of free software, countries will no longer have to prioritise between poverty and the digital divide."

"Women have been affected most and need to be properly tooled and positioned to make that difference in their lives," she says.

In her spare time time, besides surfing to update her status and chat with clients on facebook and twitter, Ms Muthoni shuttles between institutions and companies trying to help women by raising awareness on open source software, hoping to make it more available to the society.

Mentorship programmes

Two years ago, she was recognised by the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology for her three years’ labour to get more girls and young women interested in Information Communication Technology (ICT), through mentorship programmes, workshops, book donations to schools and events.

"Women in Africa need to do something to encourage girls to learn subjects related to computing. Promoting open source software is part of that effort," she says.