The Challenges Facing Co-operative Societies In Kenya A Case Study: Kenya Planter Co-operative Union (KPCU)

Abstract

Co-operative societies sector in kenya play a very important role to the members by giving them affordable financial credit and investment advisory services which help in improving the economic life of the members and the development of the country at large.  However, these co-operative societies suffer common problems associated with weak legislation, poor financial management, leadership, governance and political interferance among many  others.

Specifically this study will be looking at the challenges that are facing Co-operative societies, a case study of Kenya Planters Co-operative Union (KPCU).  This study will mainly focus on the leadership as the main challenge that is affecting Co-operative Societies in Kenya.   This project is a review study of whether KPCU could have been saved if the above mentioned issue was well monitored.  The beneficiaries of this case study will be stakeholders including: Directors, management of Co-operative societies, employees, suppliers, consumers and the Government. This proposal aims at enlightening those that are managing Co-operative societies to improve in ways they conduct the affairs of the co-operative societies.  The anticipated challenges include time and resources.  Other challenges anticipated are securing interviews with senior staff and unwillingness of staff to fill questionnaires due to fear of victimization.

The study uses descriptive method which involves the collection of information by interviewing some respondents and administering questionnaires. Other sources that will be used for data collection will be text books, journals, magazines and the internet.  Recommendations and conclusions are drawn from the responses  received from the data collected. Data is analyzed from the information collected from the questionnaire and the interviews conducted. The method of analyzing data will be determined using statistics.  Stratified sampling techniques will be used to select samples. This method will allow the researcher to divide the sample into appropriate strata that are mutually exclusive. Data is presented through charts, graphs and tables.

Key words: Leadership, Leadership challenges, Co-operatives Performance