SACCO leaders urged to uphold cooperative principles for sustainable growth

KAKUMIRO, May 19, 2026 — Adhering to cooperative principles is essential if Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations [SACCOs] in Uganda are to achieve sustainable growth.

The call was made by the Kakumiro Resident District Commissioner [RDC], Francis Kibuuka Amooti, while officiating at the Annual General Meeting [AGM] of Kikamba Farmers Development Savings and Credit Cooperative Society Limited, held at the SACCO offices in Kikamba Trading Centre, Kasambya Sub-county.

Kibuuka said cooperative principles such as voluntary and open membership; democratic member control; education, training, and information; autonomy and independence; concern for community; cooperation among cooperatives; and members’ economic participation,  are vital for the growth and success of any cooperative society.

He noted that many SACCOs in Uganda had collapsed due to failure to adhere to these principles and urged both members and leaders of Kikamba Farmers Development Savings and Credit Cooperative Society to remain committed to the values that define the cooperative identity.

He mentioned cooperative values as self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, and solidarity.

He further encouraged members of the SACCO TO prioritise buying shares and saving regularly if they want their organisation to grow. He cautioned against overreliance on external support, saying it often comes with challenges.

Kibuuka added that SACCOs help community members access affordable credit to expand their businesses and improve their livelihoods.

Farmers challenged to embrace coffee and cocoa growing

The RDC also challenged farmers to embrace coffee and cocoa growing, noting that the two cash crops have fewer management challenges and a ready market compared to many other crops.

He further urged farmers to embrace the Parish Development Model [PDM], a government initiative in February 20222, aimed at fighting poverty among targeted households in Uganda.

Kibuuka commended the founders and leadership of Kikamba Farmers Development SACCO, saying that if the SACCO continues to grow steadily, it will soon qualify for financial support from the Uganda Microfinance Support Centre [MSC].

SACCO leaders and members also celebrated the growth of their savings and investments.

Sande Wyclif, the SACCO Supervisor at Kikamba Farmers Development Savings and Credit Cooperative Society, said the SACCO had accumulated savings worth Shs50 million from members.

He explained that the SACCO, which was established in 2022, currently has 500 members, most of whom are engaged in maize, beans, coffee farming, and livestock rearing.

Wyclif said members had been able to access loans at low interest rates, which had helped boost their enterprises and improve household incomes and family welfare.

He added that through the SACCO, farmers receive regular training in agronomic skills, which has encouraged many to embrace the four-acre model type of farming introduced by President Yoweri Museveni.

“We have supported our members to buy cows, goats and other assets, as well as pay school fees for their children. Generally, we have been able to transform the lives of our members,” he said.

The SACCO Chairperson, Patrice Ndagijizimana, said the SACCO needs financial support to acquire value addition machines for maize, and coffee.

He noted that although farmers register good harvests of maize and coffee, they still sell unprocessed produce, which often forces them to sell at low prices.

Rev. Fr Emmanuel Alinaitwe of St Joseph Balikuddembe Kasambya Catholic Parish, who led Mass before the meeting, urged SACCO members to maintain a culture of planning, budgeting, and saving for future investment.

However, he warned members against laziness and extravagance and encouraged them to embrace hard work, noting that even the Bible encourages people to work if they are to eat.

https://thecooperator.news/kakumiro-pdm-saccos-to-receive-shs-11bln/

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