Members of Sawa East Africa Limited Sacco in Tororo have expressed their frustration over delayed savings, leading to police deployment at the SACCO offices. The District Police Commander, Adams Kimuli, intervened as angry members resorted to smashing windowpanes at the SACCO’s offices located on the first floor of Tororo central markets.
The SACCO, with a membership of 3,700 clients saving daily, has reportedly held billions of shillings in member savings for the past 12 months. The situation escalated when members, who had been promised savings release from December 16, 2023, found themselves waiting with no clear resolution from the SACCO management.
Previous attempts to address the issue had resulted in the members storming the offices, holding SACCO officials hostage, and prompting police intervention on Monday. The delay in releasing savings has left members unable to fulfill festive season plans, such as stocking businesses or handling family emergencies.
Joseph Sande Omondi, the SACCO Executive Director, acknowledged the members’ complaints but blamed the confusion on some members changing their minds from previously agreed positions. He stated that while they had initially planned to release savings in January, some members altered the arrangement due to Christmas pressures without informing SACCO management.
To ease tensions, Police Commander Adams Kimuli urged SACCO management to promptly address the issue with its members, offering police support for security if needed. Kimuli attributed the confusion to the SACCO’s failure to digitalize the payment system, leading to delays in processing payments.
