By Billy Mijungu
In 2022, the Cooperative Movement proposed an innovative plan to use SACCO deposits and public land through Public Private Partnerships (PPP) to fund tenant purchase housing for civil servants, including the police. The idea was simple yet transformative, to leverage the unmatched strength of SACCO savings to close Kenya’s growing housing gap and make affordable housing a reality for millions.
A large segment of the Kenyan population depends on SACCOs for financial stability, small business capital, and long term savings. On a rent to own basis, with access to free public land and a credit guarantee backed by contributions from the housing levy, the progress we have made so far, about 162,000 housing units, could have easily surpassed one million homes within a year. That potential remains within reach if the Government and SACCOs align their strategies and financing models.
Once the Government defines clear parameters for SACCO participation, home ownership will become even more affordable than under the Boma Yangu initiative. Moreover, SACCO led investments could extend into commercial housing projects, helping stabilize rental prices, open up new business opportunities, and promote orderly urban development. Such an approach would also attract more private developers into the housing market under fair and predictable regulations.
The beauty of the cooperative model is that it is rooted in trust, shared growth, and mutual benefit. SACCO members are not just investors, they are participants in their own progress. By engaging them directly in the national housing strategy, the country would not only accelerate delivery of homes but also enhance accountability and ensure that every shilling invested has a visible impact.
Expanding our national housing strategy through SACCOs is not just feasible, it is smart economics. It aligns with Kenya’s cooperative spirit and builds on trusted community structures that have worked for decades. Housing can be the foundation, but nothing stops us from leveraging SACCO strength to transform other critical sectors, from health to education to agriculture. The SACCO movement has already proven its resilience and innovation; it now deserves a central role in shaping the future of national development.
