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SPEECH BY H.E. J.K. NDATHI

DURING THE INTERNATIONAL
COOPERATIVE DAY CELEBRATIONS
ON SATURDAY 5
TH
JULY 2014 AT
KUTUS SECONDARY SCHOOL
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS,
DEAR COOPERATORS
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

AM DELIGHTED TO CELEBRATE THIS
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVE DAY
WITH YOU HERE IN KIRINYAGA
COUNTY, AND WISH TO SALUTES ALL
COOPERATORS, PARTICIPANTS AND
STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COUNTY.
COOPERATIVES ARE VEHICLES FOR
ECONOMIC GROWTH OFFERING AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR PRODUCTION,
MARKETING AND SERVICE DELIVERY
TO THE MEMBERS, COOPERATIVES
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CREATES AN ENVIRONMENT FOR
DEMOCRATIC AND ECONOMIC
PARTICIPATION OF MEMBERS IN THE
MANAGEMENT OF THEIR
RESOURCES.
KIRINYAGA COUNTY IS HOME TO
VERY VIBRANT COOPERATIVE
ORGANIZATIONS WITH 89
COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES WHOSE
MEMBERSHIP IS OVER 300,000 AND A
UNOIN UMBRELLA ORGANISATION
REPRESENTING PRIMARY
COOPERATIVES .THE AVERAGE
TURNOVER OF COOPERATIVE
MOVEMENT IN KIRINYAGA COUNTY IS
AROUND 5 BILLION WHILE SACCOS
MOBILIZE OVER 16 BILLION IN
SAVINGS.THE GOVERNMENT HAS
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FACILITATED FORMATION OF 8 NEW
COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES.
KIRINYAGA COUNTY IS THE SECOND
BIGGEST PRODUCER OF COFFEE IN
KENYA .THE COUNTY PRIDES ITSELF
IN HAVING THE LARGEST RICE
BASED COOPERATIVE SOCIETY IN
KENYA. THE COUNTY IS ALSO HOME
TO THE BEST MANAGED
COOPERATIVE SOCIETY AND
SACCOS.
THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS
CONTINUED TO ENCOURAGE
FORMATION OF YOUTH SACCOS,
GENDER BASED SACCOS AND OTHER
COOPERATIVES IN DIVERSE
SECTORS. I AM PROUD TO REPORT
THAT THE COUNTY HAS FACILITATED
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THE FORMATION OF 10 NEW
COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES INCLUDING
THE ONE THAT WE ARE LAUNCHING
TODAY.MEMBERSHIP IN THE
COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT HAS BEEN
INCREASED FROM 260,000 MEMBERS
IN 2013 TO OVER 300,000 MEMBERS
CURRENTLY.
MY GOVERNMENT IS GLAD TO
ANNOUNCE THAT IT WILL CONTINUE
COLLABORATING WITH COOPERATIVE
ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE ECONOMIC
EMPOWERMENT OF THE
COOPERATORS.
WE SHALL ALSO ENDEAVOR TO
PROMOTE PRODUCTION OF FARM
PRODUCE AND MARKETING OF THE
PRODUCTS. MY GOVERNMENT ALSO
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RECOGNIZES THE SIGNIFICANCE OF
VALUE ADDITION IN IMPROVING
PRODUCERS EARNINGS AND ALSO
PROMOTING LOCAL CONSUMPTION
OF THE VALUE ADDED PRODUCTS.


LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
THE COUNTY APPRECIATES EFFORT
BY MUTIRA AND RUNGETO FCS LTD
FOR THE WORTHY INITIATIVE OF
CARRYING OUT VALUE ADDITION OF
THEIR COFFEE. THIS IS THE
DIRECTION WE ENCOURAGE EVERY
SOCIETY TO EMULATE.
WE INTEND TO ROLL OUT
STRATEGIES FOR VALUE ADDITION
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OF MOST PRODUCE IN THE COUNTY.
THIS WILL INCLUDE COFFEE, DAIRY
FAMING, BANANAS ETC

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS
DEVELOPED RELEVANT LEGISLATION
IN THIS SECTOR AND WILL FOLLOW
TO ENSURE ENACTMENT BY THE
COUNTY ASSEMBLY. IT IS EXPECTED
THAT ONCE THESE LEGISLATION ARE
PASSED, MANAGEMENT AND
GOVERNANCE OF COOPERATIVE
SOCIETY WILL BE IMPROVED TO THE
BENEFIT OF THE MEMBERS IN LINE
WITH THE CONSTITUTIONAL
REQUIREMNET OF PUBLIC
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PARTICIPATION. THE COOPERATIVE
BILL WILL BE SOON PRESENTED TO
THE PUBLIC FOR THEIR
PARTICIPATION BEFORE IT IS
PRESENTED TO THE COUNTY
ASSEMBLY.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
MY GOVERNMENT HAS INSTRUCTED
THAT COOPERATIVES BE
PROFESSIONALLY GUIDED TO MAKE
REASONABLE AND RELEVANT BY-
LAWS AND POLICIES FOR PROPER
GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF
COOPERATIVES.
COOPERATIVES ARE CONSIDERED AS
CRITICAL IN ADDRESSING THE
CHALLENGE OF UNEMPLOYMENT.
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APPARENTLY GROWTH OF
COOPERATIVES WILL TRANSLATE
INTO JOB CREATION.
COOPERATIVES ALSO ADDRESSES
SOCIAL NEEDS SUCH POVERTY
REDUCTION THROUGH COOPERATIVE
ORGANIZATION AND ENTERPRISES.
MY GOVERNMENT CANNOT OVER
EMPHASIZE THE KEY ROLE PLAYED
BY COOPERATIVES AS SOCIAL,
ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL
PILLARS FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT.I REQUEST MEMBERS
TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING THEIR
COOPERATIVES BY PRODUCING
ENOUGH QUANTITIES OF PRODUCE
THAT ARE OF HIGH QUALITY. THIS
WILL GUARANTEE MORE EARNINGS
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AND COMPETITIVE EDGE IN THE
MARKETS
IN THE PAST WE HAVE HAD
INCIDENCES WHERE THERE WAS
POOR MANAGEMENT OF SOME
COOPRATIVE SOCIETIES TO THE
DETRIMENT OF THE MEMBERS. THE
COUNTY GOVERNMENT WILL NOT
TOLERATE INCIDENCES WHERE
INDIVIDUAL INTEREST SEEKS TO
OVERIDE THEGENERAL INTEREST OF
THE MEMBERS. COUNTY
GOVERNMENT WILL IN THIS
FINANCIAL YEAR FACILITATE
CAPACITY BUILDING TO ALL
COOPERATIVES IN ORDER TO EQUIP
THE COOPERATORS WITH
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
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NECESSARY FOR RUNNING OF AN
EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE
COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT.
MEMBERS SHOULD EXPRESS
SOLIDARITY WITH THEIR
COOPERATIVES BY BEING
COMMITTED IN PATRONIZING THEIR
ORGANIZATIONS BY DELIVERY OF
PRODUCE, CONSUMING
COOPERATIVE SERVICES AND
SAVING THROUGH THEIR LOCAL
SACCOS. OFFICIALS ELECTED TO
OFFICE MUST CONDUCT
COOPERATIVE BUSINESS AS MEN OF
INTEGRITY, DUE DILIGENCE AND
UTMOST PRUDENCE.
ALL OF US HAVE BEEN GIVEN
RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTINUE
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SERVING ONE ANOTHER IN GOOD
FAITH FOR OUR OWN GOOD AND
GLORY TO OUR GOD. THIS HAS BEEN
MADE VERY POSSIBLE BY THE
OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED BY THE
COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT.
AS WE CELEBRATE THIS DAY, THE
COUNTY RE-AFFIRMS ITS
COMMITMENT TO IT LONG STANDING
COLLABORATION WITH THE
COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT. LETS US
ALL BE GOOD COOPERATORS TO
HELP OUR COOPERATIVES BUILD A
BETTER KIRINYAGA COUNTY.
IT IS BECAUSE OF GOOD
LEADERSHIP THAT OUR
COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT HAS
SUCCEEDED TO BECOME THE
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LEADING MOBILISER OF SAVINGS IN
THE COUNTY AND I SALUTE ALL THE
LEADERS OF COOPERATIVE
MOVEMENT. EDUCATION OF MANY
OF RESIDENTS OF KIRINYAGA WAS
ONLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE THEIR
PARENTS BELONGED TO ONE
COOPERATIVE ALL ANOTHER. IT IS
BECAUSE OF THE SHARED VISION
AND THE DESIRE TO SUCCEED THAT
HAS SEEN SUCH A PHENOMENAL
GROWTH IN THE COOPERATIVE
MOVEMENT.

ON THE SAME BREATH I URGE OUR
POLITICAL LEADERS TO BORROW A
LEAF FROM COOPERATORS AND
UNITE TO BUILD OUR COUNTY. WE
NOW HAVE A COUNTY GOVERNMENT
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ELECTED BY OUR OWN PEOPLE AND
WHO EXPECT TO SEE RESULTS AND
IMPROVEMENTS INTO THEIR LIVES. I
URGE ALL LEADERS INCLUDING
MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY
ASSEMBLY TO UNITE FOR THE
PURPOSE OF BUILDING A STRONG
COUNTY.
ONE OF OUR NEW COOPERATIVE
SOCIETY IS THE ONE BRINGING
TOGETHER BODA BODA RIDERS. IT
WAS A GOOD INITIATIVE BY THE
COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO ORGANISE
THEM IN A GROUP SO THAT THEY
CAN MOBILISE THEIR SAVINGS AND
ENGAGE IN DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR
CHOICE.
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I HAVE NOTED RECENTLY THAT THEY
ARE HAVING CONFRONTATIONS WITH
THE OFFICERS FROM THE NATIONAL
GOVERNMENT WHO ARE
REPRESENTED HERE BY THE
COUNTY COMMISSIONER OVER
LICENSES. I AM URGING FOR CALM
AMONG THE RIDERS. FIRST OF ALL I
WANT TO SAY THAT THE COUNTY
GOVERNMENT HAS NOT BEEN
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ARRESTS AS
SOME HAVE CLAIMED. I DO NOT
HAVE POLICEMEN. HOWEVER
THROUGH MY DEPUTY WHO DEALS
WITH ISSUES TOUCHING ON
SECURITY WE SHALL CONVENE A
CONSULTATIVE MEETING TO THRASH
OUT THE ISSUES THAT ARE CORE TO
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THE DISPUTES LEADING TO
SKIRMISHES



GOD BLESS COOPERATIVE,
GOD BLESS KIRINYAGA COUNTY