- Saccos are turning to young people to address an ageing membership base, with youth demanding faster, mobile driven financial services.
- Officials are urging Saccos to offer youth friendly products, digital services, financial education and clear pathways into leadership.
- Experts say mentorship, transparency and support for youth enterprises are key to making young people feel included in the co-operative movement.
Kenya’s Saccos are grappling with an ageing membership base as young people, who make up about a third of members, increasingly demand faster, mobile-driven financial services.
More than seven million people belong to Saccos regulated by the Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (Sasra), out of over 14 million members nationwide across formal and informal sectors. Yet older members continue to dominate meetings and leadership, raising concerns about succession.
Nairobi County Director of Co-operatives Dolphine Aremo has criticised Saccos’ continued reliance on paper-based processes, warning they risk alienating a generation accustomed to instant digital services. “The Gen Zs do not need papers,” she said.
Some Saccos are already responding. Tower Sacco CEO Patrick Njenga said the institution has introduced products for young members, including loans that do not require traditional guarantors, alongside financial education programmes.
Golden Generation DT Sacco (formerly Mufate G Sacco) CEO Anthony Bitinyu said his institution has also developed youth-targeted products and intensified sensitisation campaigns, though guarantorship remains a challenge since many young borrowers lack established networks or collateral.
Beyond recruitment, officials say Saccos must prepare young members for leadership. Commissioner for Co-operatives David Obonyo urged Saccos to create pathways for youth representation at delegate and board level, warning that without mentorship, institutions could face a leadership vacuum despite decades of accumulated investments and savings.
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Kericho County Director of Co-operatives Dr Leonard Otii said young people need more than an invitation to save; they need access to economic opportunities such as land and coffee trees for those in farming communities. He acknowledged Saccos are sometimes hesitant to hand young people financial responsibility, citing behavioural concerns.
Malindi Sub-County Co-operative Officer Felister Moraa said perception remains a major barrier, with many young people viewing Saccos as institutions for older generations, and older members often re-elected due to perceived experience and commitment.
Experts say technology, financial literacy and greater transparency could help close this gap, alongside youth forums, mentorship programmes and support for youth-owned enterprises, green initiatives and skills development. They argue the challenge extends beyond opening accounts to making young people feel they genuinely belong within the co-operative movement.
By Obegi Malack
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