Viusasa, a Kenyan video-on-demand service, has over the years become a go-to platform for local creatives and online users seeking video content since its launch in 2017.
The platform offers a wide range of products and services, including videos, TV and radio streams, shopping, bill payments, education, and games, among others.
Viusasa is a brainchild of George Waititu, a visionary entrepreneur who rose from humble beginnings.
The businessman is also the founder of Tafaria Castle and Country Lodge in the Abadere ranges, Nyeri County, which opened its doors in 2012.
Waititu founded Tafaria with the aim of making it a model village and guide the development of the area.
“I don’t want to change the rural life. I just want to improve it without changing its rural setting,” he said.
In a past interview, he revealed that the castle, which boasts medieval architecture cost him $3.5 million (approximately Sh350 million at the time) to set up. Tafaria offers a range of sporting activities including; Horseback Riding, Archery, Volleyball, Horse Carriage Riding, Lawn Tennis, Badminton, Swimming, Basketball, and Mini Golf.
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In 2017, Waititu transitioned into tech, founding Viusasa, a platform that has really transformed the country’s creative industry. According to him, the decision to launch the platform was informed by the need to address emerging market needs and problems that producers of short videos faced.
“The first thing we do is look for a market for your content. We then distribute the videos to ensure everyone who is supposed to get them does receive them. We also educate people that the videos are available. That is the general work of the company,” he said in a past video produced by Citizen TV.
The whole idea behind this initiative was to help local producers protect, distribute, promote and monetise their content. Producers focus on creativity, while the app focuses on distribution, promotion and monetisation. It is run by a company called Content Aggregation Limited.
Today, Viusasa boasts over 3 million subscribers. The platform charges a subscription fee of as low as Sh10 daily, making it an affordable option for low-income users.
