Many SACCOs that had yet to implement the government directive to shift to a delegate system are now doing so through resolutions passed at special general meetings, as the model continues to reshape how the largest cooperatives are run.
The leadership structure is designed to keep decision-making both democratic and efficient, giving members a stronger, more accountable voice at the highest levels of their organization. Under the model, members elect delegates directly from their own zones, with a clear mandate to carry local concerns into the SACCO’s top decision-making forum, the Annual Delegates Meeting. Officials say the arrangement roots representation in each delegate’s home constituency rather than leaving it abstract.
The representation comes with built-in accountability. Delegates who fall short of expectations can be recalled through a formal petition, provided it is signed by at least two-thirds of members in their electoral unit, a mechanism designed to keep delegates answerable to the people who elected them.
The system also doubles as a leadership pipeline. Members can progress from grassroots participation to delegate status and, eventually, to a seat on the board, creating a structured pathway for developing future leaders from within the membership itself. At Mentor and NewFortis Saccos, which adopted the model this year, their leaderships have pointed to simplified access to elected representatives, faster decision-making, and stronger representation of members’ diverse interests as tangible gains from the transition.
To keep pace with that responsibility, delegates are required to attend regular education seminars, ensuring they arrive at Annual Meetings informed and equipped to make decisions that are both strategic and aligned with member interests. The model is also built to reach members who cannot physically attend meetings; by electing delegates to speak on their behalf, SACCOs say they guarantee that democratic rights are exercised in full, regardless of a member’s ability to be present in person.
Certain powers, however, remain firmly in members’ hands. Decisions on dissolution, amalgamation, or any transaction exceeding 25% of total assets cannot be delegated, they require direct member approval, safeguarding ownership rights from being diluted through the representative structure.
Delegates are also bound by a feedback obligation, required to report back to their zones on key resolutions and policy decisions, so members stay informed even when they were not in the room where decisions were made. The system further makes space for co-opted delegates who represent special interest groups, ensuring no segment of the membership is left without a voice in governance.
The rollout has not been without friction. Some SACCOs, have pushed back on the directive, with members citing fears that delegates could be more easily compromised than a full membership vote. Consumer advocates have similarly pressed SACCOs to clarify how delegates are selected and held to account before by-laws are amended. Proponents counter that, done properly, the model addresses the genuine logistical strain of gathering tens of thousands of members in one venue while preserving every member’s underlying stake in the SACCO.
Taken together, SACCO officials say the structure is intended to balance efficiency with inclusion, enabling swift, informed decisions at scale while ensuring every member, directly or through a delegate, retains a genuine stake in how the organization is run. Last year, the national government directed all large SACCOs with more than 5,000 members to transition from general-meeting governance to a delegate system, with each society required to elect between 150 and 500 delegates.
