Challenges Facing Implimentation of CRB Regulations in Kenya; Commercial Banks in Kakamega Township

Abstract

Kenya’s banking sector faced major crisis in the 1980’s and 1990’s due to under capitalization, high levels of non-performing loans and weaknesses in corporate governance. Non- bank institutions (NBFI’s) were most affected, but the number of failing commercial banks increased in the 1990’s. The crisis culminated in 1992 when Kenya formally suffered a systematic banking crisis. Through the amendment of the Banking Act and the adoption of instruments of reform, the Kenyan government legislated Credit Reference Bureaus (CRBs) via legal notice No. 97 of 11^th July 2008 to be used by commercial banks. The purpose of CRBs reforms in the banking sector was to achieve increased stability, effectiveness, and access to financial services. The purpose of this study was to establish the challenges facing commercial banks in the implementation of CRB regulations. The study was done as a descriptive survey research to obtain information that described the existing status of the challenges facing commercial banks in implementation of CRB regulations. The eleven commercial banks within Kakamega township were targeted by this study. Saturated sampling technique was employed for all commercial banks in Kakamega town to avoid variation in the population parameters. Data was collected through questionnaires and interview schedules. Focus group discussions was utilized to cross validate information collected from questionnaires and individual interviews.Qualitative analysis was used to analyse themes emerging from responses on challenges encountered in CRB regulation implementation.The key findings were sacco’s are not yet under CRB regulations and hence still lending to defaulters, erroneous listing of customers with the bureaus, information access challenges and lack of data integrity. From the findings, the challenges cut across all the banks irrespective of their sizes. Major recommendations from this research is that more credit Reference Bureaus should be licensed by the central bank of Kenya. Credit Reference Bureaus should now extend their activities beyond banks and sign up microfinance firms, rural banks, insurance, utility companies and retailers.A public sensitization program should be rolled out by the central bank of Kenya.

Key Words:Credit Information Sharing,Credit Reference Bureau (CRB), Credit Reference bureau regulations,Central Bank of Kenya