Homa Bay woman representative Gladys Wanga has warned politicians against inciting residents not to repay loans worth Sh16 million.
The loans were borrowed from the Homa County Women Sacco, which was started in 2015 and has faced a serious challenge of members refusing to repay loans.
Such members seek protection from politicians to cushion them from repaying the loans.
Wanga, who is the sacco patron, said the defaulters and the politicians intend to wreck the Sacco.
Speaking to journalists on the sideline of the fourth AGM at a Homa Bay hotel, Wanga accused the members of perpetuating financial impunity in the sacco.
“There is a family which currently owes the Sacco Sh1.3million but it has refused to pay back,” Wanga said.
The legislator said some members have also stayed without repaying the loan for three years.
She argued that failure to repay loans was tantamount to rocking the sacco from the inside.
The patron told all members to repay their loans to prevent conflict with sacco management. “Failure to repay a loan denies innocent members from getting the loan for their personal use. Let members repay the loans they borrow,” she said
Wanga accused politicians of trying to interfere with the Sacco when it undertakes recovery from the defaulters. She said the Sacco will not relent in its efforts to recover the debts.
“Recovery is the last resort the Sacco applies against these errant members. I would rather allow people to talk ill about me but this sacco must continue to operate,” she said.
The woman representative told the politicians who protect the defaulters to stop meddling in the Sacco affairs.
“It is wrong for some politicians to call the sacco management with the intention of protecting defaulters from their areas. Let the politicians help the defaulters repay the loans,”Wanga said.
The Sacco which was started four years ago has a capacity of lending members more than Sh100 million.
It was started to empower women in the county. The sacco manager, Oliver Odhiambo, said they will always capacity build their members through training them on how to utilize loan funds.
“Defaulters owe us a lot of money but we are sensitizing members on how to utilize loan,” Odhiambo said.
