- Women’s representation in Sacco leadership continues to edge upwards.Gender gaps remain wider in some
- categories of regulated Saccos.
- Delayed annual meetings could raise concerns over governance and accountability.
Women’s share of seats on the boards of regulated Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (Saccos) rose to 25.5 per cent in 2025.
That is up slightly from 25.44 per cent in 2024, signalling gradual progress towards gender parity in leadership. According to the Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA) Sacco Supervision Annual Report, 2025, 777 women served on the boards of 357 regulated Saccos. In 2024, the figure was 768. Male board members also increased, from 2,251 to 2,270 over the same period.
Overall, the number of directors in regulated Saccos grew to 3,047 in 2025 from 3,019 the previous year.
Despite the improvement, women’s representation remains below the constitutional threshold of at least one third, or 33.33 per cent, recommended for oversight roles on boards.
Even so, the trend is encouraging. Female participation in Sacco board affairs grew by 1.17 per cent in 2025, compared with 0.84 per cent for men. That pace could help narrow the gender gap in governance.
Significant differences still persist between Sacco categories. Non-Withdrawable Deposit-Taking (NWDT) Saccos recorded higher female board representation at 29.58 per cent. Deposit-Taking (DT) Saccos lagged behind at 21.63 per cent.
According to the report, DT Saccos are generally larger and more complex institutions, which makes improving women’s representation harder. It therefore calls for targeted interventions to attract more women to board positions in the segment. Increasing female representation is expected to strengthen inclusivity in Sacco leadership and support progress towards the constitutional gender threshold.
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On governance more broadly, the report shows that nearly all regulated Saccos held their annual general meetings (AGMs) by the April 30, 2026 deadline. Three societies had yet to convene theirs at the time of publication. They had, however, obtained statutory waivers and exemptions allowing them to hold their meetings outside the prescribed period.
Under Section 27(5) of the Cooperative Societies Act, these meetings must address key governance and financial matters. They include adopting audited financial statements, considering board reports, and distributing or investing surplus funds. Members also elect office bearers, appoint external auditors and set borrowing limits where necessary.
Beyond these formalities, the meetings give members a chance to assess their societies’ performance and take part in decisions that affect their institutions.
SASRA has urged Saccos to hold their AGMs within the stipulated timelines. It warned that delays could fuel member complaints, apathy and dissatisfaction.
Ultimately, annual meetings remain a critical accountability mechanism. They let members scrutinise financial performance, evaluate board decisions and influence the direction of their societies.
By Obegi Malack
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