KAKAMEGA, June 15, 2026 — President William Samoei Arap Ruto has launched Shirikiana SACCO in Kakamega County, describing the cooperative as a major step towards expanding financial inclusion and accelerating grassroots economic growth across Western Kenya.
The launch took place over the weekend at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, where the President said savings and credit cooperatives remain central to creating wealth at community level through access to affordable finance, enterprise growth and job creation.
Registered in January 2026, Shirikiana SACCO has already enrolled more than 12,000 members and established a network of promoters across 190 wards in Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia, Vihiga and Trans Nzoia counties.
Ruto said the rapid expansion of the SACCO demonstrated continued public confidence in Kenya’s cooperative movement as a vehicle for economic empowerment and shared prosperity.
He noted that cooperatives continue to play a vital role in supporting agricultural transformation, industrialisation and the growth of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, while helping households access affordable credit.
The President also highlighted the scale of Kenya’s cooperative sector, saying it now serves more than eight million members and manages assets worth over KSh1 trillion. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reforms aimed at modernising governance structures, strengthening oversight and protecting members’ savings and investments.
Officials said the establishment of Shirikiana SACCO aligns with Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda [BETA], with expectations that it will mobilise local savings, expand access to finance and stimulate entrepreneurship across the region.
The event attracted senior national and regional leaders, including Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa.
According to figures shared during the event, regulated SACCOs disbursed more than Ksh 500 billion in credit to members in 2024. About a quarter of the lending supported land acquisition and housing, while more than one-fifth financed education, highlighting the sector’s contribution to improving livelihoods and strengthening household welfare.
https://thecooperator.news/kenyas-coffee-sector-set-for-strong-recovery-as-production-climbs/
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