Githunguri Dairy Cooperative Society (GDC) has received a Ksh 500 million disbursement from the Kenya Development Corporation (KDC), supported by the World Bank’s Supporting Access to Finance for Economic Recovery (SAFER) Programme. The programme aims to enhance credit access, foster innovation, and strengthen resilience among micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across Kenya.
The cheque was handed over today by the Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry, Hon. Lee Kinyanjui. In his remarks, Hon. Kinyanjui praised GDC for its strong governance and professional management, noting that the cooperative’s expansion to Nairobi and Nakuru counties sets a benchmark for others.
“Through KDC, we are exploring ways to extend the lending period from seven to ten years and reduce the interest rate from nine percent to eight percent,” said Hon. Kinyanjui. “The objective is to make long-term credit more accessible to investors and institutions, particularly those involved in capital-intensive industrial projects.”
State Department for Investment Promotion Principal Secretary, Mr. Abubakar Hassan Abubakar, highlighted the Government’s commitment to supporting MSMEs. “The SAFER Programme demonstrates our dedication to de-risking MSME financing and advancing the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda. We are empowering farmers and small enterprises to drive inclusive economic growth,” he said.
World Bank Financial Sector Specialist Ms. Leah Kiwara noted that the partnership addresses the persistent financing gap for MSMEs. “As we move forward, monitoring impact and highlighting success stories will be critical to driving meaningful and sustainable MSME growth,” she said.
Ms. Norah Ratemo, Director General of KDC, reported that under the SAFER Programme, KDC has disbursed Ksh 3.2 billion to 11 SACCOs, supporting 36,990 MSMEs, including 12,221 women-owned enterprises, and creating 25,637 jobs across 32 counties. An additional Ksh 3.9 billion has been earmarked to onboard 13 more SACCOs under the programme’s digital lending window, further deepening financial inclusion in Kenya.
GDC, described by Mr. Charles Kioko as one of Kenya’s most dynamic cooperatives, now operates nine branches across Nairobi and Nakuru counties. Its adoption of the Bonyeza Digital Loan product has enabled farmers and MSMEs to access affordable and fast financing directly via mobile phones, reinforcing the cooperative’s impact on Kenya’s dairy sector and the broader economy.