Nyandarua County Director of Cooperatives, Veronica Kahura has urged women to fight for leadership positions in cooperative societies in the County.
Kahura said until the law is changed to set aside seats for women in saccos, they will have to competitively seek positions in the numerous saccos just like their male counterparts.
Speaking during a special general meeting for Tower Sacco on Saturday, Kahura said the Cooperative Societies Act limits the number of directors for a primary cooperative society to between five and nine members only.
She was responding to a Tower Sacco member who wanted its directors to be increased from the current nine to 13, with the extra four new seats going to women to make board gender-balanced.
“Until the Act is reviewed to allow increment of board members, the women have to seek the seats through vying for the positions
“I urge the ladies to fight for these seats because they are not meant for any particular gender,” she said during the special AGM held at the Catholic grounds in Ol Kalou town.
She said all cooperatives in Nyandarua had problem of gender imbalance in their management boards.
Her sentiments were supported by the Tower Sacco chairman John Gitundu who said, time for women to remain at home and do kitchen work was long gone and its time they came out and seek leadership of societies.
He urged men to be accommodative to women and not to harass them when they vie for any seats in the Sacco.
Governor Kiarie Badilisha who graced the occasion, promised to propose Tower Sacco as an outlet for disbursing Hustler Fund money when it is actualized.
The Governor, who agreed to invite President William Ruto to officially open the Sacco’s nine-floor Tower Sacco Plaza built in Ol Kalou town at a cost of Sh215 million hailed the Sacco that has 25 branches in the country for its success saying it remains the pride of the County.
