Thousands of Afya SACCO members have issued a bold ultimatum after uncovering what they describe as rampant looting and financial sabotage within their trusted cooperative.
With up to Ksh2 billion allegedly missing, members—mainly healthcare professionals—are furious over stonewalled inquiries, unpaid dividends, and ignored pleas for help.
The seven-day deadline issued to Afya SACCO management to respond—or face mass protests—signals a breaking point. Chronic patients cannot access savings, retirees are suffering, and withdrawal policies are allegedly being violated.
The silence from the Cooperatives Ministry has only inflamed tensions, leaving members demanding transparency, justice, and immediate government intervention.
Afya SACCO Embezzlement Crisis Leaves Members in Anguish
The Afya SACCO embezzlement saga has exploded into a full-blown crisis as furious members accuse top officials of misappropriating over Ksh2 billion. The alleged fraud has left thousands of savers in financial distress, with some facing life-threatening consequences.
Members now demand answers from the SACCO’s chairperson, senior managers, and accountants, who they claim orchestrated a scheme to loot, divert, and misuse members’ hard-earned savings. Repeated attempts to get financial reports or clarify the cooperative’s state have been met with silence.
Members say they have lost trust. Several describe a pattern of evasiveness and deliberate obstruction when trying to access their funds. Even worse, the Sacco has allegedly stopped monthly share deductions from salaries, violating members’ rights to contribute or withdraw.
“We are tired of being lied to. We want our money back. This isn’t a loan; these are our savings,” a furious member told reporters.
Afya SACCO, originally built to serve healthcare workers and medical professionals, is now being likened to a financial trap.
Many retired and sick members claim they cannot access their savings despite having millions in the cooperative. Others say their dividends for 2024 remain unpaid—an open violation of the Co-operatives Act.
The scandal has reached a boiling point. With no official explanation, members are giving the SACCO seven days to respond. If not, they will take to the streets in protest.
The outcry has sparked comparisons to KUSCCO’s Ksh13.3 billion financial fraud scandal, reinforcing doubts about the safety of SACCOs across Kenya.
Government Accused of Ignoring Red Flags
Frustrated members have turned their anger toward the Ministry of Cooperatives. They say CS Wycliffe Oparanya and the SACCO Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA) have failed to act on their concerns.
“Several letters and complaints were sent to the Ministry and SASRA, but nothing was done,” one member said. “We’re left to suffer while the people responsible enjoy stolen wealth.”
The lack of enforcement and response from government regulators has raised serious questions. Why hasn’t a forensic audit been launched? Why is there no prosecution, even after countless warnings?
Analysts believe this silence could be protecting powerful individuals inside the SACCO or within the ministry. For now, the members feel abandoned.
Civil rights groups are now being urged to intervene. Without swift state action, members fear that recovery of the funds—or even a fair investigation—may never happen.
Chronic Illness and Financial Despair Hit Members Hard
The human cost of the Afya SACCO embezzlement is becoming painfully clear. Members battling chronic illnesses are reportedly unable to access money meant for their treatment.
“The money is ours. We saved it for emergencies like this. Now we can’t get it, and some of us are dying,” said another affected member.
Members trying to exit the SACCO report being blocked, despite the cooperative’s 60-working-day withdrawal policy. Others have faced unexplained delays when attempting to withdraw for school fees or emergencies.
There are even claims that staff at the SACCO are being told to mislead or stall members. The leadership, according to sources, may be working to cover its tracks.
The absence of dividends for the year has added fuel to the fire. For retirees, this means zero income from funds saved over decades. For those still working, it’s a warning that their future may be in the same jeopardy.
Afya SACCO Embezzlement Paints The Bigger Picture of the Crisis Ailing SACCOs
This scandal couldn’t come at a worse time for the cooperative movement. Just months ago, KUSCCO was found to have lost billions in fraudulent transactions. Now Afya SACCO appears to be following the same dark path.
Without immediate reforms, public trust in SACCOs may collapse. Experts warn that more cooperative societies could be hiding similar rot.
The Afya SACCO embezzlement scandal must be a wake-up call. Members are not just clients—they are owners. And they deserve transparency, accountability, and justice.
The question now is simple: will Afya SACCO clean house and return the stolen billions—or will the government continue to look the other way?
