The Murang’a Investment Cooperative Society (MICS) is finally set to take off after over a decade since its formation. Despite holding elections for office bearers in 2018, no significant progress was made as the interim officials did not officially hand over, leaving the elected office bearers without resources to run the Society and missing out on investment opportunities.
At a Special General Meeting held at the Golden Palm Breeze Hotel in Kenol, Murang’a County, on Friday, 14 June 2024, members approved the Board’s recommendation to conduct an audit and also approved the appointment of auditors with the blessing of the Commissioner of Cooperatives.
Originally popularized as Shilingi kwa Shilingi in the early 2010s, MICS attracted interest from many in Murang’a and beyond, with over 4,000 members at one point. However, momentum was lost when the promoters failed to hand over, compounded by the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Before the interest waned, the Society had raised Kshs 1.9 million, which was used to purchase land and sell several plots, along with holding other assets, primarily in real estate. Recognizing the potential of the Society, the Board, led by Chairman Mr. Simon Mukunu, convened a special meeting to plan the way forward. Mr. Mukunu pledged to ensure the board would make up for lost time once the audit was completed and approved.
Confident about the Society’s revival, Mr. Mukunu urged members to renew their membership and participate in the recruitment drive. He announced that only those with dues up-to-date from June 2024 would be entered in the new members’ register.
The meeting was attended by only a fraction of the original members. The Maragua DCO, Mr. Charles Kimani, and the Kenol Co-operative Bank Branch Manager, Mr. Elija Wang’ondu, both promised to support the revival effort.
