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Former Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui yesterday urged his successor Wycliffe Oparanya to push for the enactment of the Cooperatives Bill, terming it the panacea to the sector challenges.

Speaking while handing over office to Oparanya on Wednesday, Chelugui said the proposed law would address governance issues in cooperatives, many of which had lost money due to mismanagement.

“We were able to come up with a Cooperatives bill, which has been under discussion for the last fifteen years, concluded public participation and submitted it to the cabinet and later to parliament. This document is now before the house,” said Chelugui, asking Oparanya to fast-track its enactment.

He also urged the incoming minister to prioritize the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector which he said currently employs over 90 per cent of Kenya’s workforce, saying its success directly impacts the livelihoods of 60 per cent of the population.

He hailed the positive impact of the Hustler Fund on Kenyans, saying it has hit the 22 million mark, and called for its expansion to cater for organized groups and start-ups.

Chelugui said the ministry had overcame serious challenges such as lack of office space, staff, and resources but could today boast of functional and vibrant departments that support the cooperative sector and MSMEs across all the 47 counties.

He highlighted the cooperative movement’s critical role in Kenya, noting that it ranks first in Africa and seventh globally.

He lauded the cooperatives’ contribution to grassroots development in sectors like agriculture, housing, and healthcare. He emphasized that cooperatives foster collaboration, unity, and inclusivity, contributing significantly to the government’s bottom-up economic transformation agenda.

Chelugui also touched on reforms in the coffee sector, highlighting the introduction of the Coffee Bill, which aimed to reintroduce the Coffee Board of Kenya and restructure marketing systems.

He called for urgent attention to the New Kenya Cooperative Creameries, particularly in reducing operational costs and improving payments to dairy farmers.