CS warns Lake Region Counties: Revive Co-ops or Risk Economic Stagnation
Cooperatives and MSME Development Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya has challenged counties in the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) to modernize their cooperative structures, warning that the region risks falling behind the rest of the country without aggressive reforms.
Speaking on the region’s economic future, Oparanya stressed that the fragmentation of the sector into small, unviable Saccos has undermined the bloc’s financial muscle. He argued that for the region to succeed, it must prioritize consolidation and financial discipline.
“Unless you strengthen your cooperative movement, you will not succeed. The economy of our people here depends on unity and enjoying economies of scale. Other regions have moved forward, and we must organize our sector to compete,” Oparanya said.
He cited Unaitas Sacco, which boasts over 430,000 members, as a model of the scale and efficiency LREB institutions should emulate. He revealed that not a single Sacco from the bloc had applied for national funds designed to expand digital systems and value-chain infrastructure.
“This is a wake-up call. Money is here, and our people can access it. We must use this opportunity to change our lives,” he said, urging the region to revive competitiveness in key sectors including fisheries, sugar, cotton, and agribusiness.
Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o backed the call for financial consolidation, recalling failed attempts to establish a regional bank due to bureaucratic hurdles.
“We must be ambitious in improving infrastructure so that our cooperatives can be interlinked,” Nyong’o said. “At one point we raised funds for a regional bank, but approvals failed. This generation must succeed where we did not.”
Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda added that youth integration is vital for expanding market innovation. He noted that despite the Lake Region’s wealth in agriculture and the blue economy, the lack of robust cooperative structures has prevented full economic realization.
