By Boniface Mulu
Kitui County Government has constructed 16 honey processing factories for local beekeeping cooperators, a juice processing factory for the Mwingi Horticulture Farmers Cooperative Society Limited in Mwingi sub county, among other projects.
County Trade, Industry, ICT and Cooperatives Development CEC, Jonah Mwinzi, said the county government has also purchased a milk cooler for the Kyangwithya Dairy Farmers Cooperative.
In a speech read on his behalf by the County Trade, Industry, ICT and Cooperatives Development Director, Robert Ngong’a, during Ushirika Day celebrations in Kitui town, Mwinzi also noted that the county Government has constructed 80 motor bike taxi operator sheds in the county.
“Local cooperatives’ potential is immense,” he said, adding that the county Government had assisted 32 Saccos.
He, however, told saccos to be pro-active to gain government support. Mwinzi said a County Cooperatives Bill was being formulated and urged adults to involve the youths in the cooperative movement to start income-generating projects.
Kitui Teachers Savings and Credit Cooperative Society Limited, Chief Executive Officer, (CEO) Florence Mutua, speaking during the occasion, said the society’s products and services include salary processing, loan processing, salary advance, special loan, super loan, ATM-Visa card services, medical account, fixed deposit, children account, holiday account, investment loan, normal loan, school fees loan and emergency loan.
She said the Sacco has four branches in Mwingi, Kyuso, Mutomo and Mutitu town