An Assessment of the Financial Sustainability of Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies in Kenya
Abstract
Savings  and  Credit  Cooperative  Societies  (SACCOs)  are  voluntary  associations  of people with the common goal of encouraging savings and granting credit to members as a means to their economic improvement. For a long period of time, SACCOs have been  seen  as  a  way  of  ensuring  savings  and  investments,  especially  by  the  middle and lower economic classes. In Kenya, these institutions have managed to accumulate funds running into billions of shillings, and many members have benefited from them. However, in the last few years, many of these institutions have experienced serious financial challenges that have led to some of them winding up or becoming dormant, resulting in a loss of funds for members.  
The  primary  objective  of  this  study  was  to  determine  the  factors  that  influence  the financial  sustainability  of  SACCOs  in  Kenya.  The  study  explored  the  influence  of nancial  outreach,  financial  regulation,  corporate  governance,  size  and  age  on financial  sustainability.  A  sample  of  166  SACCOs  was  drawn  for  the  study,  and generalized least square technique was used to analyses the data. Empirical findings of the study reveal that financial outreach, as measured by the number of members, 
exerts a significant influence on financial sustainability. Similarly, financial regulation, SACCOs’  governance,  SACCOs’  size  and  SACCOs’  age  were  found  to  exert  a significant influence on the financial sustainability of SACCOs.  The  study has contributed  to  theory  by  applying  both  monetary  and  non-monetary measures to profitability theory of financial sustainability. While contributing to empiric,  the  study  has  delineated  the  relationship  between  the  study  factors  and their financial
sustainability status (FSS), as well as documenting the FSS of SACCOs  in  Kenya.  In  terms  of  methodology,  the  study  applied  the  GLS  analysis technique.  Finally,  the  study  provides  useful  information  to  SACCO  policy  makers and opens avenues for future research, thus contributing to practice. The recommendations of the study provide insights into how to rescue ailing SACCOs in Kenya and ameliorate the existing situation.
