The Cooperative Alliance of Kenya (CAK) has urged young Kenyans to embrace the co-operative movement and cultivate a savings culture, warning that the long-term sustainability of one of the country’s most successful economic sectors depends on greater youth participation.
Speaking ahead of the national Ushirika Day celebrations scheduled for Saturday, July 4, 2026, at Uhuru Park in Nairobi, CAK Chief Executive Officer Daniel Marube said the country’s youthful population must become actively involved in co-operatives to safeguard and grow the wealth accumulated by previous generations.
Marube observed that Kenya has one of the youngest populations in Africa, with a median age of between 18 and 19 years. However, he noted that the average age of leaders in most co-operatives exceeds 55 years, while many agricultural co-operatives, including coffee and dairy societies, continue to be managed by ageing members.
He said the ageing leadership presents a major succession challenge, warning that unless young people begin joining and participating in co-operatives, many of the gains achieved over decades could be lost.
“Our greatest concern is who will take over these vibrant co-operatives in the next 15 to 20 years,” Marube said.
“The current generation has built significant wealth through savings, shares and investments in co-operatives, but the question is whether the youth are prepared to manage, protect and grow that wealth.”
He cautioned that a lack of financial literacy and limited participation in co-operative societies could lead many young people to dispose of inherited family assets, including farms, livestock and investments, instead of expanding them for future generations.
Marube urged the youth to register as members of Savings and Credit Co-operative Societies (SACCOs) and other co-operatives at an early age to learn financial discipline, investment principles and responsible wealth management.
“If you are not a member today, you will not understand the value of what your parents have accumulated over the years. Joining now helps you develop a savings culture and prepares you to manage future wealth responsibly,” he said.
He also expressed concern over the low representation of young people in the leadership of co-operative societies despite many organisations reserving positions for youth during annual general meetings.
According to Marube, only about five per cent of co-operative leaders are young people, while the majority are aged between 55 and 80 years.
He explained that leadership in co-operatives is earned through active membership, commitment and integrity rather than being allocated automatically.
“We cannot keep saying we want younger leaders in co-operatives when young people are not joining these organisations. You must first become a member, participate actively and demonstrate leadership before members can elect you,” he said.
Marube noted that older members remain the backbone of the co-operative movement because they have consistently built savings over many years. By contrast, he said, many young people borrow more than they save, a trend that could threaten the long-term sustainability of SACCOs.
“If older members withdrew their savings today, many SACCOs would face serious financial pressure because they have built these savings over decades,” he said.
He attributed the low uptake among young people to changing financial habits, saying many prefer instant mobile loans instead of the long-term savings model promoted by co-operatives.
“They ask why they should save for years to qualify for credit when they can access a loan instantly through a mobile app,” he observed.
To make co-operatives more attractive to younger members, Marube said many SACCOs have embraced digital platforms that allow prospective members to open accounts using mobile phones and complete document verification later.
He added that several co-operatives are introducing innovative products tailored to the needs of young professionals, students and entrepreneurs in an effort to increase membership.
Despite these efforts, he said many young people still associate co-operatives with farming communities and older generations, making them reluctant to join or participate in governance.
Marube emphasized that co-operatives provide benefits beyond access to credit and savings, including mentorship, networking opportunities, financial education and collective investment.
“When people come together, they exchange ideas and learn from one another. Young people need to understand how previous generations created wealth so they can preserve and expand it rather than consume it,” he said.
He welcomed the introduction of co-operative education under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), saying exposing learners to financial literacy and co-operative principles at an early age would help nurture a generation that values saving, entrepreneurship and collective investment.
Marube called on parents, teachers and co-operative leaders to encourage children and young adults to join co-operatives early to ensure continuity of the movement and safeguard the wealth built over generations.
His remarks come as Kenya prepares to celebrate the 2026 national Ushirika Day with renewed focus on attracting more young people into the co-operative movement to strengthen its future sustainability and contribution to national economic development.
By Joseph Ng’ang’a
