Written By Lisa Murimi
Cooperatives and MSMEs Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya has dismissed the entire management team of Kangunu Cooperative Society in Murang’a County over allegations of gross misconduct.
The decision, announced on Thursday, followed a meeting with farmers in Mathioya who had requested his intervention.
Effective immediately, Oparanya ordered the management to step aside and refrain from any involvement in the cooperative’s operations.
The decision came after reports of poor management, unjust expulsions, harassment, and illegal deductions from members’ payments over the past seven years.
“Starting today, the management committee of Kangunu Cooperative Society should step aside and keep off from any business relating to the cooperative,” Oparanya declared.
He directed the Commissioner of Cooperatives to launch an investigation into the misconduct and called for fresh elections within 14 days to restore leadership.
In the interim, Stephen Wambugu, the Head of Cooperatives, will oversee the cooperative with the support of the county security team.
The cooperative had faced years of protests from farmers over mismanagement, which escalated last week during a disrupted Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Oparanya condemned the illegal 5% deductions from farmers’ earnings, terming it theft, and called for swift action from the EACC and DCI to arrest those responsible for misappropriating funds.
He assured farmers that the upcoming Cooperative Bill would address leadership and election issues in cooperatives.
