Merry-Go-Round Record Keeping
A merry-go-round (or table banking) chama is one of the simplest and most common savings structures in Kenya. Every cycle, members contribute the same amount and one member receives the full pot. But the record-keeping is where most groups run into trouble — missing payments, disputed rotation orders and unclear balances.
This guide covers the five registers every merry-go-round group must maintain, with sample column layouts you can adapt for your group.
How a merry-go-round works
Say your group has 12 members who each contribute KES 5,000 every month. At each meeting, the total pot of KES 60,000 is paid out to one member in rotation. After 12 months, every member has received the pot once. Then the cycle repeats.
The beauty of the system is that every member eventually gets a lump sum they could never have saved alone in that short a time. The risk is that a member defaults before their turn comes — or, worse, after they have already received the pot.
The five registers
A well-run merry-go-round keeps five separate records. You can use a notebook, a spreadsheet, or a purpose-built tool like Chamabora — but you must keep all five, because each one answers a different question.
Member and rotation register
Lists every member with their membership number, phone number and their position in the rotation. This document is the source of truth for 'whose turn is it next?' and is agreed and signed by all members at the start of each cycle.
| No. | Member name | M-Pesa / phone | Rotation position | Pot date (planned) | Received? (✓/✗) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Grace Wanjiku | 07XX XXX XXX | 1st | Jan 2025 | ✓ |
| 002 | Peter Kamau | 07XX XXX XXX | 2nd | Feb 2025 | ✓ |
| 003 | Mary Otieno | 07XX XXX XXX | 3rd | Mar 2025 | — |
| … one row per member / per cycle | |||||
Contribution register (per cycle)
Records who paid each month, how much, the M-Pesa transaction code and the date. This is the most dispute-prone record — every member must be able to see their own contribution history, and the totals must reconcile with the bank or M-Pesa statement.
| Month | Member | Amount (KES) | M-Pesa code | Date paid | Confirmed by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2025 | Grace Wanjiku | 5,000 | QBX9283747 | 03 Jan | Treasurer |
| Jan 2025 | Peter Kamau | 5,000 | QCY1029384 | 04 Jan | Treasurer |
| Jan 2025 | Mary Otieno | 5,000 | QDZ8374651 | 05 Jan | Treasurer |
| … one row per member / per cycle | |||||
Pot payment register
Records every pot payment — who received it, when, how much and the transaction code. This is separate from the contribution register because the pot goes to one member while contributions come from all members.
| Cycle | Month | Recipient | Amount (KES) | Payment method | M-Pesa / bank ref | Received date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cycle 1 | Jan 2025 | Grace Wanjiku | 60,000 | M-Pesa | QEA2938475 | 28 Jan 2025 |
| Cycle 1 | Feb 2025 | Peter Kamau | 60,000 | M-Pesa | QFB3847561 | 25 Feb 2025 |
| … one row per member / per cycle | ||||||
Arrears register
Tracks members who have missed or underpaid a contribution. Update this every month before the pot is paid out — a member in arrears should not receive the pot until their arrears are settled, unless your constitution says otherwise.
| Member | Month(s) missed | Amount owed (KES) | Penalty (KES) | Total due | Cleared date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Mwangi | Mar 2025 | 5,000 | 200 | 5,200 | — |
| Njeri Wambui | Feb, Mar 2025 | 10,000 | 400 | 10,400 | 15 Apr 2025 |
| … one row per member / per cycle | |||||
Expenses and welfare register
Many groups collect a small welfare levy on top of the contribution (e.g. KES 200/month) for emergencies, meetings and stationery. Track every expense here so members can see how welfare money is spent.
| Date | Item | Amount (KES) | Paid to | Authorised by | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jan | Meeting venue | 1,200 | Mama Ngina Hall | Chairperson + Treasurer | 12,800 |
| 22 Feb | Welfare gift — Kamau illness | 3,000 | Peter Kamau | AGM resolution | 9,800 |
| … one row per member / per cycle | |||||
The most common mistakes
One person confirms their own payment
✓The person who records contributions must be different from the person who confirms them. If the Treasurer is also confirming, get a second official to sign off.
Rotation order decided verbally, not written
✓Write it down and have all members sign before the first cycle starts. Verbal agreements become 'I was supposed to be 3rd, not 4th' six months later.
Missing M-Pesa codes
✓Never record a contribution without a transaction reference. 'Paid cash at the meeting' is not a verifiable record.
A member receives the pot while in arrears
✓Check the arrears register before every pot payment. If a member still owes from a previous month, resolve it first.
Records kept only on one person's phone
✓The Treasurer should keep a hardcopy register or a shared spreadsheet. If their phone is lost or stolen, the group loses its history.
When a member defaults
The hardest situation in any merry-go-round: a member has already received the pot but stops contributing. Your constitution should cover this, but the practical steps are:
- 1.Serve a written notice (WhatsApp is fine, but also write it in the minutes) stating the amount owed and a deadline.
- 2.If they have savings in the group, apply those savings to the arrears first.
- 3.Contact the guarantors listed in the loan register (if applicable). They are jointly liable.
- 4.If you have a signed constitution with their details, a Magistrate's Court claim for under KES 500,000 is affordable and effective.
Keep all five registers automatically
Chamabora handles contributions, arrears, pot payments and expenses — with an audit trail that every member can see. Free for groups of up to 10 members.
Create a chamaRelated resources