By Kimuri Mwangi
Cooperative societies have been urged to seek joint ventures and strategic alliances to inspire more growth.
During a national cooperative leadership forum to discuss leadership, ethics and governance, the movement leadership heard that the cooperative movement in Kenya has registered impressive growth over the years owing to the implementation of an integrated model and fast-tracking of business opportunities.
Cooperative Insurance Company (CIC) Chairman Nelson Kuria, speaking on unpacking the leadership of a sustainable future of cooperatives said leadership in the cooperative movement is key to helping unlock the great opportunities that exist within our nation, counties and at an individual level.
“Cooperatives have demonstrated their capacity to unleash the potential that lies underneath when people put their act together and when they work together, they get better,” he said.
He explained that everything rises and falls on leadership since they are stewards. He gave the example of the cooperative movement pioneers who built the coop movement in Kenya to rank seventh globally and number one in Africa.
Kuria, however, noted that there are still challenges despite the strides made saying that it is time to speak the truth, bite the bullet and talk candidly about matters of leadership which involve integrity
Despite the inspiring growth, the movement is grappling with numerous challenges and thus frustrating the desire to realize high potential. Bad governance and malpractices of members’ resources are still a big challenge to the cooperative movement leadership. Other challenges include cyber security, low uptake of technology, low participation of youth and women, demographics of membership and debt accumulation. There is a high demand for transparency, equity fairness and regulation.
“ Majority of the movement is good but there are a few individuals that we are not calling out even as they continue to make our brand dirty. It is time to call them out,” opined Kuria.
Daniel Marube, the CEO of Cooperative Alliance of Kenya, said they want to put a foundation on the future cooperative movement saying although the movement has done well in the past, it is not sufficient. Marube added that considering 65 per cent of our cooperative members are maturing and we have a huge population below 35 per cent, leaders are thinking ahead to bring the youth on board leadership to participate in wealth creation within the cooperative business model.
“The leadership has been accused of having old people. We want the young people to come and as leaders, we want to create and initiate a mentorship programme within the cooperative movement where every Sacco runs a mentorship programme that will bring in young people to have a continuous flow of leadership not only for today but fifty years to come,” opined Marube.
David Mategwa the Police Sacco Chairman said one of their key focus in the new business model is fast-tracking techno-savy tailor-made products that suit young people.
“ Saccos need to make sure that their services are geared towards technology. As police Sacco we have invested, and continue to budget for technology as it continues to change. Saccos that do not invest in technology might not exist and will die a natural death,” he said.
