Co‑operatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya has raised alarm over what he termed persistent underfunding in his Ministry, warning that the financial strain is undermining its ability to deliver on its mandate.
Appearing before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives during deliberations on the 2026/27 budget estimates, Oparanya said his office has been left struggling to meet even basic operational needs, including routine administrative functions.
He revealed that funding gaps have, at times, forced him to rely on junior officials for logistical support such as fuel and facilitation, a situation he described as untenable for a Cabinet Secretary. “I have to come here all the time to get money for my office’s operations. I don’t want to continue being a beggar from my juniors,” Oparanya told MPs.
Oparanya appealed for an additional KSh200 million to support the smooth running of his office and strengthen service delivery within the Ministry.
“I will plead with you that at least I should get allocation appropriately pointed out by the PS Cooperatives, that at least I need KSh200 million to enable my office to operate,” he said.
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He added that inadequate funding was not only affecting administrative efficiency but also slowing down key programmes intended to support co‑operatives and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) nationwide.
Among the initiatives he cited were the Uwezo Fund, NYOTA programme, Kenya Industrial Estates, Constituency Industrial Development Centres, and regional MSME trade fairs, which he said required stronger financial backing to achieve their intended impact.
The CS emphasised that the cooperative model remains critical in linking small‑scale farmers and entrepreneurs to broader markets, but cautioned that without sufficient resources, the Ministry risks falling short of its development goals.
By Masaki Enock
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