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Co-operatives cautioned against investing members’ funds in unregulated firms

Sacco ReviewJanuary 9, 202603 mins

Co-operative societies have been warned against placing members’ savings in unregulated institutions, with the government saying the practice violates the law and exposes depositors to serious financial risk. The Commissioner for Co-operative Development, David Obonyo, said some societies are ignoring statutory safeguards by investing funds in entities that fall outside the country’s regulatory framework. In…

CEOs and CFOs to sign SACCOs audited accounts as SASRA tightens accountability

Sacco ReviewDecember 20, 2025December 20, 202506 mins

Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Chief Finance Officer or Finance Manager (CFO or FM) of Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations (SACCOs) must now sign audited financial statements alongside authorized board signatories, a move aimed at cementing personal and collective responsibility for financial reporting in the cooperative sector. The Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA) announced the…

The perils of playing guarantor in your SACCO

Sacco ReviewDecember 16, 2025011 mins

Listen up, SACCO members: If you’re about to slap your signature on a loan guarantee form for a colleague or another member, pause. Take a deep breath. Then shred that thing unless you’ve done your homework. In the cutthroat world of cooperative lending, guaranteeing a loan isn’t some noble act of camaraderie-it’s a financial landmine…

SACCO industry defies economic pressures, records robust Q3 growth

Sacco ReviewDecember 14, 202509 mins

According to the latest Sacco Industry Quarterly Statistical and Soundness Report for Quarter Three (Q3)- September 2025, released by the Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA), the regulated Savings and Credit Cooperative (SACCO) industry has maintained strong growth, showcasing notable improvements across key performance indicators. This comprehensive report highlights the sector’s resilience, with total assets reaching…

Land, school fees and agriculture loans drive SACCO lending surge in Q3 of 2025

Sacco ReviewDecember 12, 202506 mins

Data from the SACCO Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA) shows that SACCOs channelled most of their lending toward land purchases, school fees and agriculture in the three months to September 2025, making the three sectors the biggest beneficiaries of credit demand among members. This accounted for more than 65 per cent of all loans issued by…

SASRA Acting Chief Executive Officer, David Sandagi,

SASRA CEO underscores key sector reforms at Cooperative Stakeholders’ Forum

Sacco ReviewNovember 21, 202503 mins

The Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA) Chief Executive Officer, David Sandagi, has outlined major reforms aimed at strengthening Kenya’s cooperative sector during a high-level panel discussion at the 4th Annual Cooperative Movement Stakeholders’ Forum held at Lake Naivasha Resort. The forum, themed “Shaping the Future of Co-operatives: Leadership, Innovation and Sustainable Growth,” brought together cooperative…

SASRA threatens lifetime ban for Sacco auditors over delayed reports

Sacco ReviewOctober 28, 202505 mins

The Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA) has issued a stern warning to external auditors who fail to submit mandatory statutory reports on time, saying they risk permanent deregistration and a lifetime ban from auditing any cooperative institution in Kenya. In a circular released this week, SASRA revealed that several audit firms had either failed to…

SASRA licenses more SACCOs to operate in Kenya to boost Cooperative sector

Sacco ReviewOctober 28, 202503 mins

The Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA) has given the nod to more savings and credit cooperative organizations (SACCOs) to operate in Kenya, signaling continued growth in the country’s cooperative financial sector. According to Kenya Gazette Notice No. 15383 published on October 24, SASRA authorized additional SACCOs to engage in both deposit-taking and specified non-deposit-taking business…

SASRA trains Kiambu Cooperative officers on financial oversight and governance

Sacco ReviewOctober 22, 202503 mins

The Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA) recently concluded a three-day capacity-building workshop aimed at enhancing the regulatory and operational competencies of Cooperative Officers in Kiambu County. The training, held from October 15 to 17 at the Kiambu Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), brought together dozens of officers for intensive sessions on financial governance, compliance,…

SASRA: SACCOs are reluctant to use credit scores in loan appraisals

Sacco ReviewOctober 20, 2025010 mins

The Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA) has expressed concerns that while credit scoring has immense value, SACCOs has been slow to adopt credit referencing fully, creating gaps in credit decision-making. The regulator also points to challenges in implementing effective credit-scoring systems, which have hampered responsible lending and long-term financial stability. But a section of top…