Kenya draws Botswana for SACCO lessons

Kenya National Police DT SACCO Chairman David Mategwa (left), Botswana Vice President Ndaba Nkosinathi Gaolathe (centre) and CEO Solomon Atsiaya (right) during the delegation’s visit to the SACCO.

Kenya is drawing interest from Botswana as it seeks lessons from the local cooperative sector to strengthen savings and credit cooperative societies (SACCOs).

Kenya National Police DT SACCO hosted a Botswana delegation on Thursday, October 8,  for discussions on governance, digital financial services, financial sustainability and how SACCOs can adapt to changing member needs.

The visit brought Botswana Vice President Ndaba Nkosinathi Gaolathe to the SACCO, where he led the delegation seeking practical lessons that could inform reforms in Botswana’s cooperative sector.

“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,” said Gaolathe.

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

The interest from Botswana comes as its SACCO sector undergoes regulatory and operational changes.

More than 27 SACCOs under the Botswana Savings and Credit Cooperative Association (BOSCCA) had mobilised more than P2 billion in savings, issued more than P1.9 billion in credit and served more than 60,000 members by December 2025, according to Botswana government reporting.

Botswana placed SACCOs under the oversight of the Bank of Botswana through the Banking Act 2023, with the changes aimed at improving institutional stability, transparency, accountability and member protection.

The search for lessons from Kenya also predates the current visit. In February 2025, BOSCCA Chief Executive Officer Kefilwe Masalila said Botswana could emulate Kenya’s achievements by strengthening governance, embracing digital transformation and improving collaboration among SACCOs.

Gaolathe has also previously pointed to Kenya as a regional example. In November 2025, he said Kenyan SACCOs contributed about six per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and urged Botswana’s SACCOs to adopt digital technologies, improve governance and expand membership.

Kenya National Police DT SACCO Chairman David Mategwa said the visit showed the value of African institutions learning from one another.

“This visit is a testament to the value of sharing African solutions. 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,” said Mategwa.

The SACCO’s Chief Executive Officer Solomon Angutsa Atsiaya said its transformation had centred on responding to members’ changing needs.

“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,” said Atsiaya.

Atsiaya said digitalisation had become a key part of the SACCO’s operations, describing its digital platform as its “biggest branch”.

He also stressed the need to strengthen members’ savings culture.

The engagement could lead to further cooperation after Gaolathe invited Kenya National Police DT SACCO’s leadership to Botswana for a reciprocal learning visit.

The proposed visit would allow the two institutions to exchange experience on governance, digital financial services, financial inclusion and sustainable cooperative growth.