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Parliament clarifies new Sacco Bill amid savings rumours

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Parliament has moved to reassure millions of Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations (Saccos) members that their savings are safe, dismissing as false claims circulating on social media that the government intends to tap more than Sh1 trillion held by cooperatives to finance the proposed National Infrastructure Fund.

The clarification comes amid growing public concern over the proposed Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2025, with misinformation online alleging the legislation would give the government sweeping powers over members’ deposits and governance of cooperative societies.

The National Assembly released a detailed explanation of the proposed law, urging Kenyans to “beware of misinformation” and clarifying what the Bill does and does not provide.

According to Parliament, the Bill has not been rushed through the legislative process as claimed online.

The House said the Bill was published on June 30, 2025, more than a year ago, and is still before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, where it is undergoing public participation.

The National Assembly explained that after public participation concludes, the committee will prepare a report and consider amendments informed by submissions from stakeholders before the Bill returns to the House for debate.

If passed by the National Assembly, it will still proceed to the Senate because it concerns county governments before it can be considered for presidential assent.

The National Assembly said the primary objective of the Bill is to strengthen the cooperative sector by improving regulation, enhancing financial stability and protecting members’ savings.

Among its key proposals are measures to reduce operational costs for smaller Saccos, subject certain cooperatives to liquidity requirements supervised by the Central Bank of Kenya, strengthen oversight by the Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA), eliminate fraudulent pyramid schemes masquerading as cooperatives and promote innovation and financial inclusion through technology.

One of the biggest concerns raised online is that the Bill creates a government-controlled “super SACCO” through which members’ money can be accessed.

Parliament says this is false.

Instead, the Bill proposes establishing a secondary SACCO society whose membership will be limited to primary SACCOs.

The institution is intended to provide shared payment infrastructure, investment opportunities and easier fund disbursement services for member SACCOs.

Similarly, Parliament rejected claims that the government would gain powers to alter or reject management committees or interfere with the internal governance of SACCOs.

The National Assembly also dismissed allegations that the proposed secondary Sacco would be allowed to lend money to the government or private individuals.

“There is no such provision in the Bill,” Parliament said, adding that the proposed entity would instead be prohibited from lending directly to natural persons.

Other viral claims addressed include allegations that members would lose access to their savings upon resignation from a Sacco and that compensation following the collapse of a Sacco would be capped at Sh100,000.

Parliament said neither claim appears in the Bill. Instead, the proposed law seeks to strengthen depositor protection by enabling members to make claims for reimbursement of deposits where a Sacco licence has been revoked.

The House also clarified that the Bill does not give the proposed secondary Sacco powers to determine liquidity requirements for other cooperative societies.

Those requirements will continue to be prescribed by SASRA and remain subject to provisions under the Central Bank of Kenya Act governing statutory liquidity reserves.

The clarifications come amid heightened public interest in reforms targeting Kenya’s cooperative movement following the introduction of the Kenya Cooperatives Bill, which the government is also seeking to enact as part of broader efforts to modernise the sector.

The government has maintained that the ongoing legislative reforms are aimed at strengthening governance, improving financial stability and enhancing protection of members’ deposits, rather than giving the State access to cooperative funds-STAR.

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National Assembly dismisses claims Sacco Bill is being rushed through Parliament

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The National Assembly has dismissed reports that the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2025, is being rushed through Parliament, saying the proposed law is still undergoing public participation.

Through infographics shared on Facebook on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, Parliament said misleading information had been circulating online about the Bill, formally known as the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, National Assembly Bill No. 32 of 2025.

Bill was published in June 2025

The National Assembly said the Bill was published on June 30, 2025, and had remained under consideration for more than 12 months.

It rejected suggestions that lawmakers were fast-tracking the proposed amendments without allowing enough time for scrutiny.

According to Parliament, the lengthy period between the publication of the Bill and its current consideration shows that it is not being rushed.

Bill currently before the National Assembly committee

The Sacco Societies Amendment Bill is currently before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.

The committee is conducting public participation and receiving views from members of the public and other stakeholders.

The submissions are expected to help the committee assess the proposed amendments before presenting its recommendations to the National Assembly.

What happens after public participation?

After the public participation process is concluded, the committee will prepare a report containing its findings and recommendations.

Parliament said the views submitted by members of the public and stakeholders could inform further amendments to the Bill.

The proposed legislation will then proceed to the National Assembly for consideration by MPs.

This means the Bill has not yet completed the legislative process and could still be amended based on the submissions received during public participation.

Bill will be forwarded to Senate

The National Assembly also clarified that the Bill will not proceed directly for presidential assent after being passed by MPs.

Because the proposed legislation concerns county governments, it will be forwarded to the Senate for consideration in accordance with the Constitution.

The Senate will be required to consider the Bill before it can complete the parliamentary process and be presented for presidential assent.

Parliament urged members of the public to rely on verified information about the Sacco Societies Amendment Bill instead of unconfirmed reports circulating online-PeopleDaily.Digital.

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Digital house-hunting platform bets on technology to reshape Nairobi’s rental market

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NAIROBI, Kenya, July 14 – A growing shift towards digital property searches is changing how Kenyans find rental homes, with real estate technology platform Reemio positioning itself as a solution to longstanding challenges.

This included fraudulent listings, costly house searches and limited market transparency.

As younger, tech-savvy consumers turn to online platforms to make purchasing decisions, the company says digitizing the rental process could improve efficiency for both tenants and landlords while lowering transaction costs.

“Our niche is to solve the problem of house hunting and also bring trust into that process. We use technology to connect renters and landlords,” said Kimani.

Kimani said the platform seeks to address inefficiencies that have traditionally made house hunting expensive and time-consuming.

Instead of physically visiting multiple properties, users can browse verified listings, take virtual tours, compare amenities and access information on additional costs such as water charges, electricity bills and service fees before scheduling physical viewings.

Beyond improving convenience for tenants, Reemio argues that technology can help landlords reduce marketing costs, shorten vacancy periods and reach a wider pool of prospective tenants, including Kenyans living abroad.

The company says its platform also generates market data that can help property owners and developers better understand evolving consumer preferences, although its long-term impact will depend on wider adoption of digital property platforms and continued investment in trustworthy online real estate marketplaces-Capitalfm.co.ke.

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ORPP edges two parties closer to joining Kenya’s political arena

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The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) has issued a notice for the provisional registration of two proposed political parties, opening a seven-day window for members of the public to lodge objections.

In a notice published by the Registrar of Political Parties and Chief Executive Officer J.C. Lorionokou, the ORPP announced that the Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP) and the People’s Alternative Voice (PAV) are in the process of being provisionally registered under Section 5(2)(a) of the Political Parties Act.

The ORPP, a State office established under Section 33 of the Political Parties Act and Article 260 of the Constitution, said its mandate includes registering and regulating political parties as well as administering the Political Parties Fund.

According to the notice, the Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP) has adopted pink, white and sky blue as its official party colours, with the slogan “Change – Mageuzi.” The party’s symbol is the acronym SDP enclosed inside a circle.

The party’s listed founder members are Nyangong’ Duncan Nyumbah, Omwandasi Jared Dishon and Kinyua Mary Wacuka.

The founders of PAV are listed as Odenyo John Fitzgerald Elly, Nyando Rachel Mmboga and Ali Hussein Kiplangat.

The Registrar said particulars of the two proposed political parties have been published on the ORPP website to facilitate public scrutiny as required by law.

Any person wishing to oppose the provisional registration of either party has seven days from the date of publication of the notice to submit objections either in writing or in person to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties at Lion Place, Fourth Floor, Waiyaki Way at Karuna Close, Nairobi.

The provisional registration marks the first step in the legal process of establishing a political party in Kenya.

Kenya has 91 fully registered political parties. The ORPP’s updated register indicates that, as of January 2026, there were 91 parties that had met the legal requirements for full registration under the Political Parties Act-STAR.

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