Co-operative Alliance of Kenya (CAK) Chairman Macloud Malonza has been elected Vice President of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) Global for the 2026–2030 term, giving Kenya a senior position in the global cooperative movement.
Malonza was elected during the ICA General Assembly at the Panama Convention Centre, where cooperative leaders and representatives from around the world gathered to elect the organization’s leadership for the next four years.
In a press release on Friday by CAK, his election places him among four regional vice presidents serving on the ICA Global Board, alongside Dr Jose Alves de Souza Neto of Cooperatives de las Américas, Dr Chandrapal Singh Yadav of ICA Asia-Pacific and Giuseppe Guerini of Cooperatives Europe.
The new global role comes shortly after Malonza was elected Chairperson of ICA Africa, where he secured all 65 votes cast at the continental body’s election.
His election to both positions gives him a role in shaping the priorities of the cooperative movement at continental and global levels, including efforts to expand financial inclusion, strengthen agricultural value chains, create employment and promote digital innovation.
As ICA Africa chairperson, Malonza has identified youth unemployment, food insecurity, climate change, financial exclusion and inequality among issues that cooperatives can help address.
He has also highlighted the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as an opportunity for cooperatives to expand trade across the continent and strengthen their participation in regional markets.
Malonza has called for stronger cooperation among African cooperative organizations, arguing that greater collaboration could increase their capacity to participate in trade and give the movement a stronger voice in global policy discussions.
His elevation comes at a time when cooperatives remain significant players in Africa’s economies, particularly in agriculture, financial services, housing, employment and community development.
The ICA, the global apex body for cooperatives, brings together cooperative organizations from different countries to promote the cooperative model, facilitate collaboration and advocate for policies supporting member-owned enterprises.
In his acceptance speech after being elected to lead ICA Africa, Malonza described his election as a collective achievement and called for stronger and more united solutions to challenges facing the continent.
Malonza brings extensive experience in Kenya’s cooperative sector. He is chairman of CAK and Co-operative Bank Holdings and has previously held leadership positions in major cooperative institutions, including Harambee Sacco and Co-op Holdings Cooperative Society.
He will serve the ICA Global Board for four years while continuing to lead ICA Africa, providing a link between the priorities of Africa’s cooperative movement and the wider global cooperative agenda.
The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), founded in 1895, brings together cooperative organizations from more than 100 countries, and its membership spans sectors including agriculture, finance, housing, retail and consumer services, while its regional structures cover Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe.
by Wangari Ndirangu
