SPEECH BY H.E. J.K. NDATHI DURING THE INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVE DAY CELEBRATIONS ON SATURDAY 5 TH JULY 2014 AT KUTUS SECONDARY SCHOOL

DISTINGUISHED GUESTS,DEAR COOPERATORSLADIES AND GENTLEMEN

AM DELIGHTED TO CELEBRATE THIS INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVE DAY WITH YOU HERE IN KIRINYAGA COUNTY, AND WISH TO SALUTES ALL COOPERATORS, PARTICIPANTS AND STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COUNTY.

COOPERATIVES ARE VEHICLES FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH OFFERING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PRODUCTION, MARKETING AND SERVICE DELIVERY TO THE MEMBERS, COOPERATIVES

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CREATES AN ENVIRONMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC AND ECONOMIC PARTICIPATION OF MEMBERS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THEIR RESOURCES.

KIRINYAGA COUNTY IS HOME TO VERY VIBRANT COOPERATIVE ORGANIZATIONS WITH 89 COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES WHOSE MEMBERSHIP IS OVER 300,000 AND A UNOIN UMBRELLA ORGANISATION REPRESENTING PRIMARY COOPERATIVES .THE AVERAGE TURNOVER OF COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT IN KIRINYAGA COUNTY IS AROUND 5 BILLION WHILE SACCOS MOBILIZE OVER 16 BILLION IN SAVINGS.THE GOVERNMENT HAS

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FACILITATED FORMATION OF 8 NEW COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES.

KIRINYAGA COUNTY IS THE SECOND BIGGEST PRODUCER OF COFFEE IN KENYA .THE COUNTY PRIDES ITSELF IN HAVING THE LARGEST RICE BASED COOPERATIVE SOCIETY IN KENYA. THE COUNTY IS ALSO HOME TO THE BEST MANAGED COOPERATIVE SOCIETY AND SACCOS.

THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS CONTINUED TO ENCOURAGE FORMATION OF YOUTH SACCOS, GENDER BASED SACCOS AND OTHER COOPERATIVES IN DIVERSE SECTORS. I AM PROUD TO REPORT THAT THE COUNTY HAS FACILITATED THE FORMATION OF 10 NEW COOPERATIVE

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SOCIETIES INCLUDING THE ONE THAT WE ARE LAUNCHING TODAY.MEMBERSHIP IN THE COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT HAS BEEN INCREASED FROM 260,000 MEMBERS IN 2013 TO OVER 300,000 MEMBERS CURRENTLY.

MY GOVERNMENT IS GLAD TO ANNOUNCE THAT IT WILL CONTINUE COLLABORATING WITH COOPERATIVE ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF THE COOPERATORS.

WE SHALL ALSO ENDEAVOR TO PROMOTE PRODUCTION OF FARM PRODUCE AND MARKETING OF THE PRODUCTS. MY GOVERNMENT ALSO RECOGNIZES THE SIGNIFICANCE OF

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VALUE ADDITION IN IMPROVING PRODUCERS EARNINGS AND ALSO PROMOTING LOCAL CONSUMPTION OF THE VALUE ADDED PRODUCTS.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

THE COUNTY APPRECIATES EFFORT BY MUTIRA AND RUNG’ETO FCS LTD FOR THE WORTHY INITIATIVE OF CARRYING OUT VALUE ADDITION OF THEIR COFFEE. THIS IS THE DIRECTION WE ENCOURAGE EVERY SOCIETY TO EMULATE.

WE INTEND TO ROLL OUT STRATEGIES FOR VALUE ADDITION OF MOST PRODUCE IN THE COUNTY. THIS WILL

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INCLUDE COFFEE, DAIRY FAMING, BANANAS ETC

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS DEVELOPED RELEVANT LEGISLATION IN THIS SECTOR AND WILL FOLLOW TO ENSURE ENACTMENT BY THE COUNTY ASSEMBLY. IT IS EXPECTED THAT ONCE THESE LEGISLATION ARE PASSED, MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE OF COOPERATIVE SOCIETY WILL BE IMPROVED TO THE BENEFIT OF THE MEMBERS IN LINE WITH THE CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMNET OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. THE COOPERATIVE BILL WILL BE SOON PRESENTED TO

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THE PUBLIC FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION BEFORE IT IS PRESENTED TO THE COUNTY ASSEMBLY.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

MY GOVERNMENT HAS INSTRUCTED THAT COOPERATIVES BE PROFESSIONALLY GUIDED TO MAKE REASONABLE AND RELEVANT BY-LAWS AND POLICIES FOR PROPER GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF COOPERATIVES.

COOPERATIVES ARE CONSIDERED AS CRITICAL IN ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGE OF UNEMPLOYMENT. APPARENTLY GROWTH OF COOPERATIVES WILL TRANSLATE INTO JOB CREATION. COOPERATIVES ALSO ADDRESSES SOCIAL NEEDS SUCH

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POVERTY REDUCTION THROUGH COOPERATIVE ORGANIZATION AND ENTERPRISES.

MY GOVERNMENT CANNOT OVER EMPHASIZE THE KEY ROLE PLAYED BY COOPERATIVES AS SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL PILLARS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.I REQUEST MEMBERS TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING THEIR COOPERATIVES BY PRODUCING ENOUGH QUANTITIES OF PRODUCE THAT ARE OF HIGH QUALITY. THIS WILL GUARANTEE MORE EARNINGS AND COMPETITIVE EDGE IN THE MARKETS

IN THE PAST WE HAVE HAD INCIDENCES WHERE THERE WAS POOR MANAGEMENT OF SOME COOPRATIVE

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SOCIETIES TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE MEMBERS. THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT WILL NOT TOLERATE INCIDENCES WHERE INDIVIDUAL INTEREST SEEKS TO OVERIDE THEGENERAL INTEREST OF THE MEMBERS. COUNTY GOVERNMENT WILL IN THIS FINANCIAL YEAR FACILITATE CAPACITY BUILDING TO ALL COOPERATIVES IN ORDER TO EQUIP THE COOPERATORS WITH KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS NECESSARY FOR RUNNING OF AN EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT. MEMBERS SHOULD EXPRESS SOLIDARITY WITH THEIR COOPERATIVES BY BEING COMMITTED IN PATRONIZING THEIR ORGANIZATIONS BY DELIVERY OF PRODUCE, CONSUMING COOPERATIVE

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SERVICES AND SAVING THROUGH THEIR LOCAL SACCOS. OFFICIALS ELECTED TO OFFICE MUST CONDUCT COOPERATIVE BUSINESS AS MEN OF INTEGRITY, DUE DILIGENCE AND UTMOST PRUDENCE.

ALL OF US HAVE BEEN GIVEN RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTINUE SERVING ONE ANOTHER IN GOOD FAITH FOR OUR OWN GOOD AND GLORY TO OUR GOD. THIS HAS BEEN MADE VERY POSSIBLE BY THE OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED BY THE COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT.

AS WE CELEBRATE THIS DAY, THE COUNTY RE-AFFIRMS ITS COMMITMENT TO IT LONG STANDING COLLABORATION WITH THE

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COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT. LETS US ALL BE GOOD COOPERATORS TO HELP OUR COOPERATIVES BUILD A BETTER KIRINYAGA COUNTY.

IT IS BECAUSE OF GOOD LEADERSHIP THAT OUR COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT HAS SUCCEEDED TO BECOME THE LEADING MOBILISER OF SAVINGS IN THE COUNTY AND I SALUTE ALL THE LEADERS OF COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT. EDUCATION OF MANY OF RESIDENTS OF KIRINYAGA WAS ONLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS BELONGED TO ONE COOPERATIVE ALL ANOTHER. IT IS BECAUSE OF THE SHARED VISION AND THE DESIRE TO SUCCEED THAT HAS SEEN SUCH A PHENOMENAL GROWTH IN THE

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COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT.

ON THE SAME BREATH I URGE OUR POLITICAL LEADERS TO BORROW A LEAF FROM COOPERATORS AND UNITE TO BUILD OUR COUNTY. WE NOW HAVE A COUNTY GOVERNMENT ELECTED BY OUR OWN PEOPLE AND WHO EXPECT TO SEE RESULTS AND IMPROVEMENTS INTO THEIR LIVES. I URGE ALL LEADERS INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY ASSEMBLY TO UNITE FOR THE PURPOSE OF BUILDING A STRONG COUNTY.

ONE OF OUR NEW COOPERATIVE SOCIETY IS THE ONE BRINGING TOGETHER BODA BODA RIDERS. IT WAS A GOOD INITIATIVE BY THE

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COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO ORGANISE THEM IN A GROUP SO THAT THEY CAN MOBILISE THEIR SAVINGS AND ENGAGE IN DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR CHOICE.

I HAVE NOTED RECENTLY THAT THEY ARE HAVING CONFRONTATIONS WITH THE OFFICERS FROM THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT WHO ARE REPRESENTED HERE BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER OVER LICENSES. I AM URGING FOR CALM AMONG THE RIDERS. FIRST OF ALL I WANT TO SAY THAT THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS NOT BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ARRESTS AS SOME HAVE CLAIMED. I DO NOT HAVE POLICEMEN. HOWEVER THROUGH MY DEPUTY WHO DEALS

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WITH ISSUES TOUCHING ON SECURITY WE SHALL CONVENE A CONSULTATIVE MEETING TO THRASH OUT THE ISSUES THAT ARE CORE TO THE DISPUTES LEADING TO SKIRMISHES

GOD BLESS COOPERATIVE,

GOD BLESS KIRINYAGA COUNTY

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