Faridi SACCO takes top accolades as Busia marks 101st Ushirika Day

Teso, Tuesday, July 4, 2023

KNA by Absalom Namwalo

Teso County Executive Committee Member for Trade, Cooperatives and Industrialization, Omuse Olekachuna led the county and Cooperative movement stakeholders to celebrated the 101st International Day of Cooperatives (Ushirika Day) at the Busia Agricultural Training Centre Saturday.

In line with this year them “Cooperatives: partners for accelerated sustainable development befits the day, the CEC urged traders and civil servants to join cooperatives as a way of boosting their saving habits beside widening the scope of investment.

Olekachuna added that the county remains committed to ensuring cooperatives and SACCOs operate within enabling environment by enacting policies and a cooperative bill that supports the flourishing of the movement.

“As a department, we will put measures in place by having the Cooperatives bill and policy in place to bring sanity in the movement. The law will protect SACCOs and cooperatives from fraudsters through audits and putting defaulters in check,” noted Olekachuna.

"We shall embark on recruiting 1000 farmers per ward to as we pursue economic transformation agenda which Governor Dr. Paul Otuoma is advocating for," he said.

The sentiments were echoed by the Chief Officer Trade Kennedy Mbaja who noted that forming of cooperatives by farmers and traders would boost revenue collection of the county as members would be able to benefit from grants from county and national government.

Busia boda boda leadership is in the frontline of establishing a functional SACCO which will transformed the boda boda sector that has employed over 30,000 people in Busia.

Faridi Savings and Credit Cooperative Society emerged the best SACCO in the County to win a trophy and a certificate. They also took top position in Matayos Sub County to receive similar awards.

The best performing youth cooperatives in the county is Alupe University SACCO with Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Nambale Diocese SACCO winning in the women's category. Best Housing went to Busia Kilimo SACCO.

Teso South Cohorts took the youth title and Inua Jamii Compassionate SACCO emerging the best in resource mobilisation. Magombe was voted the best marketing Cooperative in 2023. Translux took the best transport award.

Former Public and Private Sector (FOPPS) SACCO (FOPPS) from Teso North emerged the best SACCO. It was also voted the best community SACCO in digitization. To receive the awards were Secretary Moses Ote and Committee member Robert Murega.

Other sub-county winners are Natema SACCO from Butula, Magombe multipurpose (Bunyala) and Luanda Cotton Farmers Cooperatives (Samia).

The Best Agricultural value chain winners per sub-county were Busia Poultry Farmers (Matayos), Vibanda Cooperatives (Butula), Tanga Kona Commercial Village (Nambale), Luanda Farmers Cooperatives (Samia), Magombe Multipurpose (Bunyala), Jairos Cotton Cooperative Society (Teso North), Teso South Fish Farmers Cooperatives (Teso South).

The best ward-based agricultural value chains per sub-county winners: Tanga Kona Commercial Village (Nambale), Busia Tobacco Cooperatives Society (Teso North), Busumu Farmers’ Cooperative Society (Bunyala), Ibanda Business Cooperatives (Butula) and Angorom Food Cooperatives.

Courtesy ; K. N. A