NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 8 — Botswana is looking to Kenya’s SACCO sector for lessons on governance, digital financial services and financial sustainability as it seeks to strengthen its cooperative institutions.

Botswana Vice President Ndaba Nkosinathi Gaolathe led a delegation to Kenya National Police DT SACCO on Thursday to examine how the institution has transformed its operations and adapted its services to changing member needs.

The delegation held discussions with the SACCO’s leadership on governance, savings mobilisation, member education, digital financial services and institutional sustainability.

Gaolathe said the visit had provided practical lessons that Botswana could apply in strengthening its cooperative sector.

“The discipline of your board members is remarkable. From today’s interactions, we have learned a great deal. We are not only taking learnings with us; we now know what we are going to act on,” he said.

Kenya National Police DT SACCO Chairman David Mategwa said the visit demonstrated the value of African institutions sharing experiences and solutions.

“This visit is a testament to the value of sharing African solutions with one another. We believe the experience gained here can open the door to deeper cooperation between our institutions and contribute to the growth of the cooperative movement across the continent,” he said.

The delegation also examined the role of cooperatives in supporting communities through initiatives in education, healthcare, climate action and community development.

Kenya National Police DT SACCO Chief Executive Officer Solomon Angutsa Atsiaya said the SACCO’s transformation had been driven by changes in members’ needs.

“Our transformation has been driven by a simple principle: a SACCO must continuously evolve around the needs of its members. We are pleased to share both the progress we have made and the lessons from our journey, including the challenges we have had to overcome,” he said.

Atsiaya said digital services had become a key part of the SACCO’s operations, describing its digital platform as its “biggest branch”, while noting the need to continue encouraging members to save.

The visit is expected to lead to further cooperation between the two institutions, with Gaolathe inviting Kenya National Police DT SACCO’s leadership to Botswana for a reciprocal learning visit.