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

Senate proposes fast-tract of Seeds and Plant Varieties Bill to boost climate-resilient farming

Sacco ReviewJuly 12, 202504 mins

The Senate has proposes fast-tracking of a bill that will enable farmers to benefit from quicker access to drought-tolerant and climate-smart seed varieties, a new legislative proposal aimed at reforming the country’s seed approval system. The Seeds and Plant Varieties (Amendment) Bill, 2025 sponsored by Narok Senator Ledama Olekina, seeks to establish a parallel registration…

Coffee farmers oppose Direct Payment System amid government directives

Sacco ReviewJuly 4, 2025July 9, 202508 mins

The government has accelerated coffee reforms, focusing on diverting payment points to the Direct Settlement System (DSS), which has met strong resistance. President William Ruto, during his Mt. Kenya Development tour two months ago, stirred controversy when he announced that from June, coffee proceeds would be remitted directly to farmers, bypassing cooperative society management committees….

Kirinyaga coffee farmers win first round in DSS legal battle

Sacco ReviewJuly 4, 2025July 4, 202502 mins

The battle between Kirinyaga county coffee farmers and the Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE) is now in the corridors of justice, as the high court extended conservatory orders barring the implementation of the Direct Settlement System (DSS) and new reforms in the coffee sector until July 28, 2025. The Cooperative Bank that operates the DSS also…

Govt, Equity Bank unveil bold reforms to propel SME growth

Sacco ReviewJuly 2, 202504 mins

In a bid to bolster Kenya’s economy, the government through the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs Development has joined forces with Equity Bank to support Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in accessing capital, expanding markets, and building institutional capacity. Speaking at the second edition of the Annual SME Conference, Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya emphasized that…

Oparanya unveils bold SACCO reforms after Ksh 13B scandal

Sacco ReviewJuly 2, 202504 mins

Co-operatives and MSMEs Development CS Wycliffe Oparanya stood before SACCO leaders at Kenya Union of Savings and Credit Co-operatives (KUSCCO).on 23 June, 2025, and delivered an upbeat progress report on the sector clean-up launched after the KSh 13 billion KUSCCO scandal. He said investigative files have been handed over for prosecution and promised that “every…

Gender equity milestone triumphs in cooperatives, as NCGP completes validation process

Sacco ReviewJuly 2, 202506 mins

In a landmark achievement for gender equity and inclusivity, the National Cooperative Gender Platform (NCGP) has successfully completed its validation process, marking a significant milestone in the cooperative sector. This development, announced recently, underscores a growing commitment to ensuring that cooperatives—long celebrated for their democratic and community-driven ethos—become equal playing fields for all genders. The…

Tea, coffee packaging materials to be zero-rated as Ruto signs Finance Bill 2025 to law

Sacco ReviewJune 26, 202503 mins

President William Ruto has signed the Finance Bill 2025 into law to ease the cost of doing business, and bolster economic growth across key sectors. The bill which was passed by the National Assembly on June 19, amends six key tax laws: the Income Tax Act, the Value Added Tax Act, the Excise Duty Act,…

Gov’t allocates Ksh47.6 billion in 2025/26 budget to transform agriculture sector

Sacco ReviewJune 20, 2025June 20, 202507 mins

Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury and Economic Planning John Mbadi on Thursday, June 12, 2025 presented a Ksh 4.2 trillion spending plan for the 2025/26 financial year at Parliament buildings in Nairobi. The CS proposed an allocation of a total of Ksh 47.6 billion for various programs under agriculture sector. The allocation is expected to …

State Department of Cooperatives engages senate on Cooperatives bill 2024

Sacco ReviewJune 18, 202503 mins

State Department of Cooperatives Principal Secretary Patrick Kilemi on Tuesday led officials from the department on an engagement forum with the Senate Standing Committee on Trade, Industrialization and Tourism on draft Cooperatives Bill No. 7 of 2024. The PS who was speaking during the forum in Naivasha said the bill proposed amendments are aimed at…

President Ruto assents Anti-Money Laundering bill that empowers SASRA in regulating Saccos

Sacco ReviewJune 17, 202505 mins

President William Ruto has assented to the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating of Terrorism Financing Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025. The head of state also signed into law the Insurance Professionals Bill (National Assembly Bills No. 13 of 2024). The Anti-Money Laundering and Combating of Terrorism Financing legislation is designed to strengthen Kenya’s framework for tackling money…