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{
    "id": 1497226,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1497226/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 221,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Tinderet, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Julius Melly",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "the county level. It goes on to explain what those two offices will do so as to promote the co- operative movement. This is very important because it also goes further to show the various structures or levels of co-operatives. In this country, we have the primary co-operatives which are actually the small co-operatives in the rural sector. We have the secondary co-operatives societies, the federation of co-operatives, the apex co-operatives, and even those which come together and are engaged in activities that promote socio-economic development. In the coffee and sugar-cane sectors, through the well managed co-operative sector, farmers have been able to pay fees for their children and medical bills. They can even move on further and engage in savings and credit in the housing sector. One of the things that this Bill tries to address is the issue of registration of co-operatives, that is in Part IV, which deals with the procedures for registration, amendment of by-laws and protection of co-operatives and Savings and Credit Co-operative Organisation (SACCO) identity. One of the things that is affecting co-operators and more importantly in the SACCOs, is the issue of registration, by- laws and by extension, how the co-operators are going to be protected against scrupulous individuals. The by-laws which have been established in this particular Bill are very explicit on the membership, registration and, more importantly, on how to guard the sector from bad practices. Part IV provides for the rights and liabilities of members. The provision also includes the qualification for membership, share capital and transfer of shares. We have a number of co- operative societies in this country that have actually collapsed due to transfer of shares fraudulently by the leadership of SACCOs. They have also collapsed because the membership is not very clear because the register of co-operators is also not clear. I participate because I am a member of the co-operative movement. In this case, the individuals who are involved in this, especially the leaders of the society... When a SACCO has been registered, the membership has to be kept in a very good register. It has to be kept by the Commissioner of Co-operatives and the shares of that particular co-operative cannot be changed anyhow which has actually led to some members losing what they have because of lack of that particular clause. Hon. Deputy Speaker, Part VI of the Bill provides for the duties of co-operatives which includes the responsibility to maintain actual physical locations. We have what we call briefcase co-operatives which do not have offices or physical addresses. Hon. Deputy Speaker, there is a lot of importance on the physical address. Many people, sometimes, take it for granted as to why we need a physical office. It is for the members to know a place and time to meet regularly. In the many instances where briefcase co-operatives have been established, members have been swindled. In this case, the Bill provides for the actual physical location, copies of the Act, by-laws and preparation of the budget and books of accounts. All those particulars are very important. A co-operative cannot be run by word of mouth and, therefore, all the audited accounts should be provided to the members. This Bill is very important because as the members sit and invest, they should know that all those verifiable documents, like the books of accounts and all that the Savings and Credit Co-operative Organization (SACCO) is doing, are there. On the other issue…"
}