A botched attempt to amend the Kenya Police Sacco's constitution has caused unease in the 73,000-member co-operative, with a section of members accusing top officials of using allegedly discriminatory clauses to cling on to office.
Currently, the Kenya Police Sacco bylaws have no limit on how long people can serve on the board or in top positions, provided they are based in Nairobi.
A group of seven delegates - representing zones spread across the country - last year drafted proposed amendments to the Sacco's regulations that would introduce term limits and open up board membership to people based outside Nairobi.
Through Rene & Hans Advocates, the seven delegates wrote to CEO Solomon Angutsa Atsiaya on January 2, seeking to amend five sections of the Sacco's bylaws.
The seven delegates are Gregory Ogola, Michael Orita, Oscar Kiplimo, Robert Mumo, Kevin Oduor, Silas Poghisio and Victor Sang.
Orita, a Nyeri-based police officer who represents the zone, claims the proposed amendments were left out of the Annual Delegates Meeting (ADM) to protect officials who have served for several years.
“They were to include the proposals that we had made during the February 2023 ADM but they maliciously removed that from the agenda,” Orita said.
CEO Angutsa held that the by-laws were also approved by Parliament and that they are legally in place.
“That is not true as the by-law has a term limit of three years for every leader after which you can only continue serving if you are re-elected and that was an Act made through parliament,” he said.
The seven delegates had proposed amendments to sections 35, 36, 37, 65 and 68 to lay the groundwork for a new set of officers.
The proposed amendments sought to limit board members to a maximum of two terms of three years each.
At Board level, Joakim Awuondo is the longest-serving member, having served for 15 years. Amos Tingos has served for 14 years, while Benjamin Talam and Jeremiah Lekoken have each served for 13 years.
Some members and delegates are also unhappy with clauses in the sacco's constitution that prevent people living outside Nairobi from running for board positions.
Orita and the other six delegates had sought to amend section 35(p) to allow delegates or zonal officials based in other counties to join the board.
A sacco member, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, said sacco politics had spilled over into the national police service.
He claimed that some individuals have found a way to avoid being transferred out of Nairobi by the police in order to retain their sacco positions.
Some members are circulating an online petition calling for an overhaul of the Sacco's top brass and a forensic audit of its books.
“Petition to remove the Kenya National Police DT Sacco Board of Directors (BOD) and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO)... Thereafter an interim Board of Directors and CEO should be appointed to oversee the activities of the society as the following is done,” the petition reads in part.
Members of the Sacco have listed a number of demands in the petition - a forensic audit of the acquisition of the M-Tawi mobile banking system, a forensic audit of the Sacco's finances, a lifestyle audit of all senior officials.
The Kenya Police Sacco is one of the largest cooperatives in the country, both in terms of membership and assets.
In 2023, the Sacco made a profit of Sh8.7 billion, an increase from the previous year when it made a profit of Sh7.9 billion.
