Harambee DT SACCO has signaled a robust “take-off” for its next half-century, reporting a stellar financial performance for the year ending December 31, 2025, despite a year marked by intense political shifts and macroeconomic strain.
During the Society’s 55th Annual Delegates Meeting (ADM), the SACCO leadership unveiled a balance sheet that cements its position as a fortress of capital. The institution’s total assets grew to Ksh 41.29 billion, up from Ksh 37.62 billion in 2024, representing a significant leap in a year characterized by a stable but “underwhelming” national GDP growth of 4.5%.
Addressing the delegates, National Chairman Macloud Malonza, MBS, HSC**, highlighted the SACCO’s agility in navigating a year that saw the Kenyan shilling stabilize at 129 to the dollar while the country mourned the passing of opposition leader Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga.
“Our vitals as an institution have gotten better,” Malonza stated. “Our core capital to total assets ratio now stands at 14.8%, well above the regulator’s minimum of 10%. This emboldens our resolve to journey back to our hallowed position in the country’s rankings.”
The SACCO’s net loan book also witnessed growth, rising from Ksh 32.01 billion to Ksh 34.27 billion, proving the institution’s capacity to continue funding members’ dreams even as disposable income across the country remained under pressure.
Total Assets grew from Ksh 37.6 Billion in 2024 to Ksh 41.29 Billion in 2025. Net loan book rose from Ksh 32.01 Billion in 2024 to Ksh 34.27 Billion in 2025. Revenue collected in 2024 was Ksh 6.1 Billion which rose in 2025 to Ksh 7.5 Billion. Core capital/assets grew from 12.9% in 2024 to 14.8% in 2025 and total membership increased from 78,000 in 2024 to 84,852 members in 2025.
CEO Dr. George Ochiri, MBS, characterized the current state of the SACCO as a “financial revolution.” While acknowledging the “hiccup” of missing a 10% interest target on deposits proposing 9.1% instead he assured members that the new 2026-2030 Strategic Plan is designed to fix gaps and achieve double-digit returns consistently.
“Harambee is a 41-billion-shilling powerhouse with a plan to dominate,” Dr. Ochiri said.
The new roadmap for the sacco focuses on seven key pillars which include technology and innovation, leveraging AI and automation to slash costs. Membership growth, scaling numbers to increase collective bargaining power and branch banking, expanding the physical footprint to bring services closer to the people.
The meeting was graced by Patrick Kilemi, Principal Secretary for Cooperatives, representing Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya. The PS lauded Harambee as the “pioneer SACCO” that birthed the movement in Kenya.
“Good governance is the foundation upon which resilient SACCOs are built,” the PS noted, urging the leadership to maintain transparency. He also challenged the SACCO to deepen its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), asking the delegates to “look in the mirror” and consider how they are impacting orphans and local communities.
Commissioner for Cooperatives, David Obonyo, echoed these sentiments, urging delegates to make “right decisions” to maintain the trajectory. He cautioned against “massaging books” to pay unrealistic dividends, praising Harambee for paying returns from fully realized surpluses rather than external borrowing.
As Harambee DT SACCO enters its 56th year, the mood among delegates remained optimistic. With 6,000 new members joined in the last year alone and a capital buffer nearly 5% above the regulatory requirement, the “first SACCO in Kenya” appears well-positioned to reclaim its title as the leading cooperative in Africa.
As Chairman Malonza concluded: “The way ahead has never been easy… but at 55, Harambee is now a mature institution, resilient enough to face the future with boldness.”