Botswana Vice President visits Kenya to benchmark SACCO reforms

The delegation visited Kenya National Police DT SACCO to learn about its governance structures, digital financial services, financial sustainability and strategies for responding to changing member needs.

The visit focused on identifying practices that Botswana could adopt to strengthen its cooperative institutions and improve financial services for members.

Speaking during the engagement, Gaolathe praised the SACCO's leadership and governance structures, saying the delegation had gained practical insights that would inform reforms back home.

“The discipline of your board members is remarkable. From today’s interactions, we have learned a great deal. We are not only taking learnings with us; we now know what we are going to act on,” he said.

The discussions covered several areas, including savings mobilisation, member education, digital financial services, institutional sustainability and strategic partnerships.

The delegation also explored how cooperatives can support community development through initiatives in education, healthcare and climate action.

Kenya National Police DT SACCO Chairman David Mategwa said the visit demonstrated the importance of African countries sharing experiences and adopting solutions developed within the continent.

“This visit is a testament to the value of sharing African solutions with one another. We believe the experience gained here can open the door to deeper cooperation between our institutions and contribute to the growth of the cooperative movement across the continent,” Mategwa said.

SACCO Chief Executive Officer Solomon Angutsa Atsiaya attributed the institution's transformation to its ability to adapt its operations and services to the evolving needs of members.

“Our transformation has been driven by a simple principle: a SACCO must continuously evolve around the needs of its members. We are pleased to share both the progress we have made and the lessons from our journey, including the challenges we have had to overcome,” Atsiaya said.

He identified digitalisation as a major driver of the SACCO's growth, describing its digital platform as its “biggest branch” while emphasising the need to strengthen the savings culture among members.

The visit also opened discussions on further cooperation between the two countries, with Gaolathe inviting the leadership of Kenya National Police DT SACCO to Botswana for a reciprocal benchmarking visit.

The proposed visit is expected to provide an opportunity for continued exchange of experiences in governance, financial inclusion, innovation and sustainable cooperative growth.