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P. 46

OPINION

                         The Diary of a Man who
                         Once Ran the Union«

                         ?:ŽSYEOAu?KOEŽ

                         Lead consultant at Triangular Link Services. He has previously served as the
                         Managing Director at KUSCCO LTD (1974-1981) and the CEO at ICPAK (1993-1994).

s:KDW LV WKH .LQJGRP RI *RG OLNH" ,W LV OLNH D             its own funds, its budget, including salaries had to be funded
mustard seed which a man took and planted in                          AXCNMNQR
 KKSGDCNMNQRVDQDHMSQNCTBDCAXSGD EQHB@M
his garden. It grew and became a tree and the                         Confederation of Co-operative Savings and Credit Associations
birds of the air perched in its branches.”                            (ACCOSCA). ACCOSCA bought the KUSCCO mustard seed from
Luke 13:18.                                                           USA and Canada through the World Council of Credit Unions
                                                                      6.""4
 (S NQF@MHYDC SGD OKNTFGHMF NE SGD ?DKC O@QSHBHO@SDC
The transformation and growth of KUSCCO compares favorably            in the planting and early watering of the seed. Through WOCCU
with the meaning and philosophy at the core of this biblical          various other donors participated in watering the KUSCCO
PTNS@SHNM
(@LOQNTCSNAD@RRNBH@SDCVHSGHSRSQ@MRENQL@SHNM
      mustard seed.

 RHSR?QRS"GHDE$WDBTSHUD.?BDQ(O@QSHBHO@SDCHMV@SDQHMFSGD    SPREADING THE KUSCCO GOSPEL
seed just after it had germinated in 1974. KUSCCO was my 2nd
employer after serving the Government of Kenya in the Ministry        Like the Holy Spirit in the Bible, the results of a service are felt
of Local Government for two 2 months. I was handed my letter          and appreciated later, not before. KUSCCO‘s services to the
of appointment together with the car keys of the Union’s car,         local SACCO movement are intangible. At this time in KUSCCO’s
*/,R5NKJRV@FDMQDRDQUDCENQN?BH@KTRDVGDM(QDONQSDC        history, the Union had no resources and its services had never
in 1974. I didn’t have a driving license having just graduated        been tasted. We were marketing services in form of “promises”.
from The University of Nairobi with a Bachelor of Commerce            This made our work tricky and we found ourselves on weak
degree just three months earlier.                                     ground.

The Union began operations with a seven member Board, then            3N?MCNTQENNSHMFVDO@QSMDQDCVHSGSGD"DMSQ@K.QF@MHY@SHNM
called the Management Committee. These are the pioneers who           of Trade Unions (COTU) another organization which actively
planted the KUSCCO mustard seed and watered it. I participated        assisted in the watering of the KUSCCO seed. We preached the
in the watering. In those days, I had little resources at my          saving culture message with lots of success, but this needed to be
CHRONR@KSNRS@QSN?SGDRDBQDS@QH@S@MCJHBJRS@QSSGDNODQ@SHNMR  done conveniently. The only way this could be done was through
NESGD4MHNM
(HMGDQHSDC@K@ANTQENQBDNEENTQRS@?CDOKNXDCHM    BGDBJRN?E@BHKHSHDRAXDLOKNXDQR
(SV@RSGDMENTMCMDBDRR@QX
Nairobi, Central, Eastern, Nyanza, Western and Coast provinces,       SNAQHMF".34*NMAN@QCAXRDKKHMF*42"".SN".34N?BH@KR

with one typist in Nairobi. The Union’s cash balance at the Co-       3GQNTFGSGDRDINHMSD?NQSRBGDBJN?E@BHKHSHDRVDQD@MBGNQDCHM
NODQ@SHUD!@MJNE*DMX@V@R*RGR

                            the promotion and management of the SACCO movement.

( V@R @ NMD L@M RGNV @S SGD GD@C N?BD @MC G@C SN RG@QD
typing services with the manager in charge of Nairobi, Central
and Eastern provinces. Before the Union started generating

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