Opinions & Commentaries - Sacco Review | The Leading Newspaper for Co-operative Movement in Kenya

Banking resilience in a fragile State: Lessons for governments and investors from South Sudan

Sacco ReviewSeptember 29, 2026September 29, 202608 mins

Banks faced pressure from conflict, inflation and currency shortages Digital banking helped institutions maintain services during disruption Strategic adaptation and resilience shaped banks’ ability to survive When South Sudan gained independence in July 2011, banks were among the first businesses to arrive. Regional lenders, domestic investors and joint ventures opened branches in Juba and other…

Kenya food security failure exposed by Zambia maize deal

Sacco ReviewSeptember 24, 2026010 mins

Zambia maize deal exposes Kenya’s growing dependence on imported staple food Food insecurity and climate pressures continue to strain households and farmers Kenya faces calls to invest in irrigation, storage and climate-resilient agriculture Kenya is an agricultural nation, at least according to what we have told ourselves for decades. We have fertile highlands, millions of…

Why Saccos must embrace technology to stay relevant

Sacco ReviewSeptember 11, 202604 mins

Saccos need technology to meet changing member expectations. Digital systems can improve convenience, transparency and efficiency. Saccos should balance innovation with security and human support. Technology is changing how people save, borrow, invest and manage their money. For Savings and Credit Co-operative Organisations (Saccos), embracing this change is no longer optional. It is now an…

Why Kenya’s middle class needs a lawful side hustle plan

Sacco ReviewSeptember 11, 202606 mins

Kenya’s middle class is seeking more income security. Hillary Muhalya urges lawful side hustles. Building assets can strengthen financial resilience. America’s side-hustle boom shows even secure jobs no longer guarantee financial safety, a warning Kenya’s middle class should heed. An analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond found that Americans across income levels once…

KUSCCO liquidation raises hard questions for the regulator

Sacco ReviewSeptember 7, 202608 mins

KUSCCO liquidation puts Kenya’s co-operative regulator under scrutiny Questions grow over whether the collapse could have been prevented Liquidation must be followed by asset recovery and accountability The liquidation of the Kenya Union of Savings and Credit Co-operative Organisations (KUSCCO) raises questions that go beyond the organisation’s reported financial difficulties. At the heart of the…

AGOA extension: What it means for Kenya’s job creation

Sacco ReviewSeptember 7, 202606 mins

AGOA extension could protect thousands of existing jobs More US orders could drive jobs across supply chains Kenya aims to create jobs beyond the apparel sector Kenya’s job story under AGOA is no longer just about market access. It’s about what the country does with it. The extension therefore does not simply create a new…

Ruto’s Tata directive: A test of who truly benefits from Kenya’s mineral wealth

Sacco ReviewSeptember 4, 202606 mins

Ruto’s directive puts over 600 jobs in focus. Government wants mining linked to local processing and jobs. The new investor will face pressure to deliver broader benefits. The presidential directive has opened a new chapter in the long-running debate over who truly benefits from Kenya’s mineral wealth — the companies extracting it, the communities living…

Kenya’s jobs deficit is a warning Kenya can’t afford to ignore

Sacco ReviewSeptember 3, 2026011 mins

Kenya faces a widening gap between new workers and available jobs. Experts urge stronger links between education, skills and industry. MSMEs, manufacturing and agriculture could unlock large scale employment. Kenya is producing young people for a labour market that is simply not creating opportunities fast enough. That is the uncomfortable reality laid bare by United…

What stands in the way for self regulation in the cooperative sector?

Sacco ReviewSeptember 2, 202608 mins

Self regulation could give cooperatives greater flexibility to compete and innovate. Weak leadership and reliance on rigid rules remain major barriers to reform. Stronger federations and technology could help the sector embrace self regulation. The National Cooperative Policy that has since transmuted into Sessional Paper No 4 of 2020 advocates for, among other things, the…

Let KUSCCO’s fall become a lesson, not a funeral

Sacco ReviewSeptember 1, 202609 mins

KUSCCO’s collapse raises fresh concerns over members’ money and accountability. Liquidators face pressure to recover assets and answer key financial questions. The crisis offers lessons on governance, investment controls and transparency. The giant Kenya Union of Savings and Credit Co-operatives (KUSCCO) has reached a dramatic turning point after members resolved on Friday, August 28, 2026,…