Cooperatives and Saccos urged to professionalize

Kericho, Monday July 3 2023,

KNA by Steve Were

Kericho Governor Dr. Erick Mutai has urged cooperative societies and Saccos to partner with the county government to accelerate eradication of poverty in the county.

Speaking on Saturday during the 101 Ushirika Day celebrations at Kericho Primary& Junior Secondary School, Mutai used the occasion to urge all the incorporated groups to align with the government's progress in leveraging digital spaces, saying it was the only way to curtail unworthy intermediaries and enhance market reach and visibilities.

The occasion brought together Chai Sacco Society Limited, Kenya Highlands Sacco, Ndege Chai Housing Sacco, Imarisha Sacco Society Limited, Kabianga Dairy Farmers, Kabianga University Sacco, Siloam Hospital, Mwalimu Sacco, and Stima Sacco among other stakeholders.

The Governor promised a budgetary allocation for the construction of a milk processing plant.

“We have many land resources in Kericho and we are ready to allocate to accountable unions to establish business, utilize the land in the farming of tea, coffee, and sugarcane in all our constituencies, and we are happy that our county legislators are members of these societies,” he said.

“Again, we call for societies to professionalize and manage part of our salaries. I can announce that your partners including Mwalimu Sacco are already doing that and this will enable us establish long lasting cooperation,” he added.

At the same time, Dr. Michael Bett, Kericho Chief Executive Officer for Livestock and Cooperatives said that their coming together was important as it provides an added advantage to be ideally accepted by government administration and even portraying a good image of society.

“I urge all the members of these esteemed unions to be steadfast in all circumstances, for us to spur our pursuit of professionalism and accountability in credit lending, training, home building, farm input provision, and other effective services at large,” said Bett.

Ndege Chai Sacco Chairperson Mr. Bernard Koros said that they have been battling challenges of defaulting as a result of debtors’ drastic and sudden change of membership from one Sacco to another which affects their profit margins.

Meanwhile, Edna Chepkwony, from Housing and Lands cooperatives Ndege Chai Housing said that they are strengthening the housing livelihoods by providing credible and affordable houses and land to customers.

“We enable customers to assess and protect them from risks. If you look at the database of Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA) investments, 33 per cent is in lands and housing, 21per cent education, 13per cent - agriculture while the remaining 33 per cent goes to other lending models,” said Chepkwony.

The first cooperative union in the history of Kenya to export coffee to South Korea was the Kipkelion Union, which started in the year 1908 due to the dream to put together efforts to realize the cooperative dreams.

Courtesy ; K. N. A