Makueni County has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the cooperative movement as a key pillar of economic transformation, announcing increased financial support while celebrating remarkable growth in cooperative membership, savings, and investments. 
By Fredrick Kioko,
Makueni County has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the cooperative movement as a key pillar of economic transformation, announcing increased financial support while celebrating remarkable growth in cooperative membership, savings, and investments.
Speaking during the International Day of Cooperatives celebrations in Kikima, Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili and County Executive Committee Member for Trade, Cooperatives, Marketing, Industry, Culture and Tourism Jafeth Mutuku Kiminza said the county government will continue investing in cooperatives to improve livelihoods, create jobs, and transform agriculture.
Deputy Governor Mulili revealed that Makueni's cooperative sector has experienced significant growth over the past few years. The number of registered cooperative societies has risen to more than 330, while membership has grown from 13,000 to over 63,000 members.
She said domestic savings within cooperatives have increased from KSh 80 million to more than KSh 206 million, while share capital has grown from KSh 20.5 million to KSh 136.5 million. Loans advanced to members have also increased substantially, enabling thousands of residents to access affordable credit for farming, business, and household investments.
"The achievements clearly demonstrate the growing confidence that wananchi have in the cooperative movement," Mulili said, urging more residents to join cooperative societies to strengthen the culture of saving, improve access to affordable credit, expand investment opportunities, promote value addition, and increase household incomes.
Agriculture remains the engine of growth
The Deputy Governor described agriculture as the backbone of Makueni County's economy, saying the greatest opportunity for transforming the sector lies in organizing farmers into strong, well-managed cooperatives.
She emphasized that the county government continues to prioritize value addition, noting that farmers lose significant income when they sell raw produce instead of processed products.
Mulili encouraged cooperative societies to invest in processing and marketing coffee, milk, cotton, honey, poultry, livestock products, fisheries, and horticultural produce to enable farmers to earn higher returns and access better markets.
She commended cooperatives that have already embraced value addition, saying they are creating jobs, increasing incomes, and strengthening local economies.
Youth at the centre of cooperative development
The Deputy Governor praised the 68 young people who established the Makueni Farmers Service Entrepreneurs Circle Limited, describing the initiative as an example of how youth can drive agricultural transformation through entrepreneurship.
She thanked the World Food Programme (WFP) for supporting the initiative through agricultural service delivery equipment and acknowledged the World Bank, through the National Agricultural and Rural Inclusive Growth Project (NARIGP), for supporting the formation of farmer organizations across all the county's 30 wards.
Mulili also recognized the KASHA Project for promoting climate-smart enterprises in the livestock sector, particularly among financially disadvantaged young women, displaced persons, and persons living with disabilities.
County increases funding for cooperatives
County Executive Committee Member Jafeth Mutuku Kiminza reaffirmed the county government's commitment to strengthening cooperative societies through increased financial support.
He said cooperatives remain critical in promoting savings, entrepreneurship, employment creation, and financial inclusion across Makueni.
Kiminza noted that the county allocated approximately KSh 8.5 million to support cooperative societies during the previous financial year.
He announced that the allocation has been increased to KSh 8.8 million for the 2026/2027 financial year, saying the additional funding will strengthen cooperative societies, improve service delivery, and support more community-based economic initiatives.
He added that the county government will continue investing in training, capacity building, and partnerships aimed at improving governance and enhancing the performance of cooperatives.
Addressing governance challenges
Despite the sector's impressive progress, Deputy Governor Mulili acknowledged that some cooperative societies continue to face challenges including weak leadership, poor governance, financial mismanagement, unethical practices, and inadequate adoption of modern technology.
She warned that such shortcomings threaten members' savings and undermine public confidence in the cooperative movement.
Mulili assured residents that the county government will continue enforcing accountability, strengthening governance structures, and ensuring that cases of misconduct are investigated and appropriate legal action taken.
She disclosed that the county is currently supporting members of two cooperative societies pursuing legal action to safeguard members' interests and promote accountability.
Cooperatives key to inclusive development
The Deputy Governor urged cooperative leaders and members to uphold the internationally recognized cooperative principles, including voluntary membership, democratic governance, member participation, autonomy, education, cooperation among cooperatives, and concern for the community.
She said adherence to these principles would strengthen the cooperative movement and promote peace, prosperity, and sustainable development.
Mulili further called for the revival and strengthening of major agricultural cooperatives, revealing that the county government is working with Kenya Cooperative Creameries (KCC) under a Memorandum of Understanding to improve milk marketing, negotiate fair producer prices, and ensure farmers receive timely payments.
The county leadership concluded by encouraging more residents to embrace cooperative societies as vehicles for economic empowerment, wealth creation, food security, and sustainable development.
With membership continuing to rise and county investment increasing, Makueni is positioning cooperatives at the centre of its strategy to transform agriculture, empower youth, expand financial inclusion, and improve the livelihoods of thousands of households across the county.
