The Sacco Societies Act, 2008 and the Sacco Amendment Bill, 2025
Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority · sources read 4 Oct 2026
Deposit-taking Saccos are governed by the Sacco Societies Act, No. 14 of 2008, which set up SASRA to license and supervise them. You can download the Act and its regulations free from sasra.go.ke, and SASRA has published the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2025 for public comment.
- Where
- Online at sasra.go.ke, or SASRA, Old Mutual Tower, 19th Floor, Upper Hill Road, Nairobi
Steps
- Open SASRA's 'Acts & Regulations' page (sasra.go.ke/acts-regulations) and download the Sacco Societies Act No. 14 of 2008, plus the Deposit Taking Business Regulations, 2010 and Non-Deposit Taking Business Regulations, 2020.
- Know the core rule: only a Sacco registered under the Co-operative Societies Act that also holds a SASRA licence may take deposits. Doing it without one is a crime (fine up to KSh 500,000, up to 3 years in jail, or both).
- To see the proposed changes, download 'The Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2025' from SASRA's 'Public and Stakeholders Consultation' page.
- Check that your Sacco is licensed: the full list is published in the Kenya Gazette every January and kept on sasra.go.ke all year.
- For questions, call SASRA toll-free on 0800 724 422, WhatsApp 0796 488 200, or email info@sasra.go.ke.
Watch out
- The law lets a Sacco hold your deposits and shares against any debt you owe it, including as a loan guarantor, and refuse withdrawals while you are in arrears.
- The amendment of the 2008 Act is not yet law: the State Department for Co-operatives' August 2026 report lists it as delayed. Check for updates before relying on any change.
- Government has asked SASRA to prepare for a wider regulatory mandate, so more Saccos may come under SASRA supervision.
Who this covers
- It covers deposit-taking Saccos (DT-Saccos, with a FOSA) and the larger non-withdrawable deposit-taking Saccos (NWDT-Saccos).
- SASRA does not regulate Saccos with deposits below KSh 100 million, or transport (matatu), housing, investment, consumer and marketing co-operatives.
Official sources (7)
- Acts & Regulations sasra.go.ke · read 4 Oct 2026
- Who We Are sasra.go.ke · read 4 Oct 2026
- Sacco Societies Act, No. 14 of 2008 (Revised Edition 2019) sasra.go.ke · read 4 Oct 2026
- Public and Stakeholders Consultation sasra.go.ke · read 4 Oct 2026
- Contacts sasra.go.ke · read 4 Oct 2026
- CS Oparanya Calls on SASRA to Strengthen Capacity and Prepare for Expanded Mandate sasra.go.ke · read 4 Oct 2026
- State Department for Cooperatives MTEF 2027/28-2029/30 Sub-Sector Report (August 2026) ushirika.go.ke · read 4 Oct 2026