This archive report was first published on 22 October 2019.
Published on October 22, 2019, a funds drive in aid of buying a bus for the Busia Assembly Sacco highlighted the challenges facing the cooperative societies in Western Kenya.
Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong, Vihiga Governor Wilber Otichillo, and Kakamega Deputy Governor Philip Kutima spoke at the event, expressing regret over the mismanagement of SACCOs by officials entrusted with their care.
According to Deputy Governor Kutima, when he and Governor Wycliffe Oparanya took office in 2013, they formed a task force to investigate the issues affecting the sugar sub-sector and cooperative societies in the county.
The task force found that many societies were dying due to poor management by officials who were supposed to take care of members' contributions.
Deputy Governor Kutima noted that once they give money to the societies, the officials tend to share it among themselves, which is not fair.
Busia Governor Ojaamong challenged the new leadership of the Busia assembly Sacco, led by Chairman Gabriel Erambo, to take care of members' contributions.
He also announced that his government is committed to supporting cooperative societies, with millions of shillings set aside for distribution to them.
The objective is to ensure that members of the Sacco benefit and empower themselves.
Mr. Erambo's team is yet to recover at least Sh10m that was unaccounted for by former officials, and the Cooperative Tribunal has ruled that those who took the money unlawfully be surcharged.
