November 15, 2023, 18:24 Hrs

For Immediate Release

Statement by Comrade Leon Munala, Member of the Central Organizing Committee and Secretary of Peasant and Cooperative Movement, Communist Party of Kenya

Stop Extorting SACCOs: A Call for Immediate Investigation and Action

Dear Fellow Kenyans,

The Communist Party of Kenya (CPK) expresses grave concern over the pervasive corruption affecting our cooperative sector. Today, the Nation Media Group reported that hundreds of Metropolitan National SACCO members are demonstrating against the alleged misappropriation of Sh7.7 billion by senior officials. Simultaneously, the regulatory body SASRA is implicated in demanding substantial bribes from those seeking to register SACCOs. CPK's efforts to register farmers' cooperatives have been repeatedly hindered by officials within the ministry demanding exorbitant fees, including in impoverished rural areas. This constitutes a blatant betrayal and an assault on the impoverished majority.

We assert that the corruption isn't confined to Metropolitan SACCO and CPK alone. A cursory research reveals serious allegations against Mr. Peter Njuguna. The Director of Criminal Investigations has received an official complaint from the Commission for Human Rights & Justice, accusing Peter of embezzling millions of Kenyan shillings, up to Ksh 35,000,000, from a single SACCO. CPK has also confirmed Peter's ownership of opulent apartments in high-end Nairobi suburbs.

Recent revelations expose senior officials at the Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA) and the Commissioner for Cooperative Development engaging in extortion, depleting our Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs).

The CPK, through its Central Organizing Committee and the Peasant and Cooperative Movement, vehemently condemns these reprehensible actions orchestrated by Patrick Kilemi, the Permanent Secretary for Cooperative Development, and Peter Njuguna, the CEO of SASRA. We stand united against the erosion of trust in our cooperatives, an indispensable element of our economic fabric.

Immediate action is imperative. We call upon every Kenyan to join our cause in raising awareness and pressuring the relevant authorities to swiftly investigate and address this issue. The Cabinet Secretary of the sector must take decisive action, ensuring that Patrick Kilemi and Peter Njuguna face the consequences of their actions.

To our fellow citizens, we urge you to unite with us in this fight against corruption. Activists, religious leaders, social justice centers, and rights forums—let us stand together. Members of peasant organizations and cooperative movements—your support is crucial in eradicating corruption within our sector. Media outlets—amplify our message to every corner of our nation. Political parties—let us unite against this common enemy. Public members—join us in demanding justice and fairness in our cooperative sector.

Today we initiate petitions on three fronts:

1. Criminal Charges: Petition the Director of Public Prosecutions to expedite criminal charges against Patrick Kilemi and Peter Njuguna.

2. EACC Intervention:Petition the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to address the abuse perpetrated by these public officials.

3. Senate Action:Petition the Senate to debate and take immediate action on both corruption issues and their impact on Kenyan citizens.

Our campaign structure involves raising awareness, making a compelling case for urgent resolution, organizing petition marches and sit-ins. We count on your support to make this initiative a resounding success. Though our focus today is on the small fish, the responsibility ultimately lies with the President of Kenya, Mr. Ruto. We urge him to rein in these corrupt officials; failure to do so will force us to take the battle to his doorstep.

The CPK remains steadfast in its commitment to fighting corruption, ensuring justice, and safeguarding the interests of SACCO members and the broader public. Together, let us reclaim the integrity of our cooperative sector.

The party also reiterates that the mother of corruption is the neocolonial hyper-capitalist system imposed upon the majority of the Kenyan people by the wealthy elite and their foreign backers. The Communist Party of Kenya is mobilizing the Kenyan working class and peasants to dismantle this capitalist system, imprison the corrupt, and initiate an immediate process to build a humane socialist system to serve the wider suffering majority of the Kenyan people.

In solidarity,

Comrade Leon Munala Member, Central Organizing Committee Secretary, Peasant and Cooperative Movement Communist Party of Kenya