Hon. Wycliffe Oparanya officially assumed the role of Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development today, taking over from his predecessor, Hon. Simon Chelugui.
In a handover ceremony, Chelugui highlighted key achievements during his one-year and eight-month tenure, including the completion of public participation in a new Cooperative Bill 2024 to address governance issues within cooperatives. The bill is currently before Parliament.
Chelugui also emphasized the introduction of the Coffee Bill, currently before Parliament, which seeks to revitalize the Kenyan coffee sector and support farmers. He stressed the need for shared services technology to reduce costs and enhance cooperatives’ capacity.
While acknowledging the challenges facing the cooperative movement, Chelugui expressed hope that the Hustler Fund would continue to benefit deserving Kenyans and called for measures to reduce animal feed costs and improve cooperative governance.
He offered his support to Oparanya, urging him to be vigilant against competing interests in the coffee sector. He expressed confidence that Oparanya would build upon existing initiatives and address pending issues, including the Startup Bill and the Credit Guarantee Scheme.
Oparanya acknowledged the foundation laid by Chelugui and committed to building upon it. He expressed his determination to advocate for the MSME sector, emphasizing the need for enhanced access to credit and reduced bureaucratic hurdles.
“I am committed to taking off from the good foundation he laid in reviving the cooperative movement,” stated Oparanya. He highlighted the Cooperative Societies Bill No. 7 of 2024, the Hustler Fund, Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), the Coffee Bill, and the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) as crucial initiatives that will be prioritized.
