Features - Sacco Review | The Leading Newspaper for Co-operative Movement in Kenya

When SACCOs lose their soul: Mismanagement, family control, no dividends, and the illusion of opulence

Sacco ReviewApril 28, 2026010 mins

SACCOs (Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations) are founded on a simple promise—members pool savings, trust leadership, and share in financial growth through affordable credit and annual dividends. In their ideal form, SACCOs represent discipline, transparency, and collective progress. But when governance weakens, and accountability fades, that promise can slowly transform into mismanagement, inequality, and eventually…

Mega SACCO proposal sparks uproar as cooperative principles take centre stage

Sacco ReviewApril 6, 2026April 6, 202606 mins

A legislative proposal by Kikuyu Member of Parliament (MP) Kimani Ichung’wah to establish a “Mega Sacco” that would pool funds from existing Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs) has ignited intense public debate, exposing deep tensions between state-driven financial consolidation and the foundational philosophy of the cooperative movement. At the heart of the proposal lies…

Coffee farmers in dilemma as State seeks to reintroduce controversial payment system

Sacco ReviewMarch 10, 202607 mins

Peter Waitumu,56, has been a coffee farmer in Meru all his life. He has educated his six children from coffee proceedings, built his enviable house and created for himself a relatively comfortable life all through his coffee farm. He inherited the farm from his late father. Peter says in an interview that part of the…

How Kenya’s real estate sector is evolving, driving country’s economic growth

Sacco ReviewFebruary 5, 202606 mins

Kenya’s real estate sector continues to thrive, driven by visionary companies that combine trust, innovation, and consistent delivery. The sector has grown from just selling property to creating trust, vision and leaving a huge impact across many sectors. The real estate sector is evolving through technological integration a strong focus on sustainability, and shifts in property…

SACCO Sub-Sector: Achievements, lost chances, challenges and 2026 outlook

Sacco ReviewJanuary 16, 2026013 mins

As the new year begins, this publication takes stock of achievements by Kenya’s vibrant Sacco Sub sector, some of the missed opportunities and what lies ahead. While financial cooperatives are still locked out of the National Payments System and lack an inter-lending facility, they have been able to ride on technology and other delivery channels…

How KRA is protecting tax administrators from intimidation in the digital age

Sacco ReviewDecember 8, 202507 mins

Recent online allegations concerning the Kenya Revenue Authority’s (KRA) newly established Micro and Small Taxpayers Department have attracted significant public attention. Yet a closer review of the Authority’s structural reforms, accountability systems, and the track record of its integrity framework shows that these claims are not only unfounded but also part of a troubling pattern….

Pesticides, human health and post-harvest food safety

Sacco ReviewNovember 25, 202507 mins

In Kenya’s fertile fields, agriculture is the heartbeat of the nation, sustaining livelihoods and feeding millions. Yet behind the promise of abundance lies an often-overlooked danger. Pesticides and other chemicals, designed to protect crops and food in storage, have become essential tools for farmers seeking higher yields and safe harvests. At the same time, they…

David Mategwa: The man whose leadership has transformed Kenya National Police Sacco

Sacco ReviewNovember 6, 2025November 7, 2025034 mins

David Mategwa, OGW, HSC, DSA, ICUDE, the National Chairman of the Kenya National Police DT SACCO, is a household name in Kenya’s Co-operative Movement, and more so in the world of Savings and Credit Co-operatives (SACCOs). To many, his name represents resilience, discipline, and the power of visionary leadership. To the SACCO community, he embodies…

Can early retirement plans, Saccos save retirees from poverty in old age?

Sacco ReviewSeptember 24, 2025010 mins

When Rebecca Kendi retired from her job as a County Revenue Officer at one of the country’s largest devolved units two years ago, she had no clue what she would do in her retirement. Since the mid-1980s when she left college and got the job at the then local authority, her life had been a…

Why Kenyans still prefer SACCO to Bank Loans

Sacco ReviewSeptember 8, 202509 mins

A move by commercial banks to cut their lending rates after intense pressure from monetary authorities is attracting the attention of many financial services users. Do these latest cuts in the price of bank loans pose any threat to SACCOs, considered serious players in the lending business and Kenya’s financial sector? “This trend to lower…