This archive report was first published on 14 July 2021.
Published on July 14, 2021, Taita Taveta County has seen a surge in cooperative membership, with 73,828 members joining various societies.
The county's cooperative sector has experienced significant growth, with savings and credit cooperative societies (Saccos) leading the way.
According to Erastus Gonzi, the Taita Taveta County Co-operatives Commissioner, there are 98 Saccos out of 190 co-operative societies registered in the county.
Notably, Saccos have a registered membership of 54,600, representing 73.96 percent of the total membership, while other 92 co-operatives share 19.22 percent, representing 26.04 percent of the total membership.
However, Gonzi highlighted that most of the societies have not been audited due to a lack of an auditing department, making it difficult to determine the compliance status of the different Saccos and societies in the region.
Additionally, the Covid-19 pandemic led to the halt of Saccos and Societies Annual General Meetings (AGMs), resulting in most of them deferring their AGMs to avoid the spread of the virus.
Despite these challenges, Gonzi emphasized that the department has created a conducive environment for co-operatives' growth and development through guidance and support services to its clients.
