SASRA’s 2026 licence renewals: what boards must file, why the bar is higher, and how members can spot risk

Nairobi, Aug 27, 2025 — SASRA has opened the 2026 renewal window for all deposit-taking SACCOs and published a ten-item filing checklist with a hard deadline of 30 September 2025. Late or missing filings breach the Sacco Societies Act. The regulator also warned that some co-ops are operating without valid licences. 

The checklist (submit all)

1. Renewal application form.

2. Fit-and-Proper forms for directors and senior management.

3. Certified registration certificate.

4. Verified notice of registered head office.

5. Certified bylaws. 

6.  Current business plan. 

7. Minutes of the most recent AGM.

8. Proposed CEO’s name. 9) Audited accounts for the last three years. 

9.  Proof of adequate capital + KSh3,000 non-refundable fee with deposit slip/banker’s draft. Forms and guidance sit on SASRA’s site. 

What’s changed in tone

The notice pairs the usual paperwork with a sharper compliance posture: explicit fit-and-proper vetting, capital adequacy evidence, and a public reminder about unlicensed operators. Expect extra information requests during assessment. 

Legal footing you must respect

Licensing and renewals derive from the Sacco Societies Act, 2008 and the Deposit-Taking SACCO Business Regulations, 2010. These set prudential standards, fitness and propriety, and enforcement levers for non-compliance. Boards should align submissions to the letter of these instruments. 

Why SASRA is tightening

High-profile governance failures have imposed heavy member losses. In March 2025, Mwalimu National SACCOsecured approval to write off about KSh8 billion sunk into the collapsed Spire Bank—an expensive lesson in risk oversight and related-party exposure. 

Board action plan (low friction, high yield)

• Lock documents now: Collect certified bylaws, certificate of registration, verified head-office notice, AGM minutes, and 3-year audits. Map them to the checklist item-by-item. 

• Run fit-and-proper vetting: Have every director and senior manager complete SASRA’s form. Keep supporting evidence tidy for spot checks. 

• Prove capital adequacy: Attach computations and board attestation that you meet prudential ratios per the DT Regulations. 

• File early + pay the fee: Disclose the KSh3,000 payment (slip/draft) and keep a dated log of every submission. 

Member safety checklist (verify before you save)

• Licence status: Confirm the SACCO appears on SASRA’s current licensed list or official updates for 2026 renewals. Be wary of entities trading without valid licences. 

• Governance transparency: Ask for the latest audited accounts and AGM minutes. Fit-and-proper vetting of leaders should be demonstrable. 

• Regulatory alignment: Policies on capital adequacy, insider lending, and liquidity must mirror the DT Regulations. Evasive responses are a red flag. 

Deadlines and enforcement

Renewal applications for 2026 are open now and close 30 Sep 2025. SASRA can demand additional information, and operating without a valid licence triggers sanctions under the Act and Regulations.