Wazalendo SACCO Sets A Benchmark For Military Cooperatives

Wazalendo Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (WSACCO) has been praised for demonstrating the power of the cooperative business model in fostering equitable wealth creation and resilient communities.

 

The commendation came from Maj Gen Hendrick Rakgantswana, Chairperson of Dikwata SACCO, the military cooperative society for Botswana’s Defence Forces.

 

A delegation of 10 including board members and management from Dikwata SACCO was led by Ms Kefilwe Masalila ,the CEO of Botswana Savings and Credit Cooperatives Association ( BOSCCA)visited WSACCO’s headquarters in Kiwatule on 15th October 2024.

 

According to the Chairperson of Dikwata SACCOS, the team was here to bench mark on the best practices in governance, operations, regulation, and ICT usage. “As a young SACCO, we are here to learn from Wazalendo SACCO. Being a sister military institution, we share common goals and challenges, which I believe after this vital interaction, we shall be able to address. We are going to tailor the knowledge acquired to suit our needs to improve service delivery,” said Maj Gen Rakgantswana.

 

The visit aimed to understand WSACCO’s success story.

Ms Kefilwe Masalila, CEO of (BOSCCA), expressed Dikwata SACCO’s intention to learn from the factors behind Wazalendo’s achievements.

 

Dr Sylvester Ndiroramukama, CEO of the Uganda Cooperative Savings and Credit Union (UCSCU), also praised WSACCO for being among the seven fastest-growing SACCOs in Africa, saying, “The prime objective of every SACCO is to address issues regarding their members’ welfare. Wazalendo SACCO has done well in that aspect by continuing to improve the lives of its members and supporting the communities.”

 

Lt Col Allan Kitanda, Vice Chairman of WSACCO’s Board of Directors, spoke on behalf of Lt Gen Sam Kavuma, Chairman of the Board, and expressed gratitude for Dikwata’s decision to choose WSACCO as a model for cooperation. “I believe the request to host Dikwata SACCO results from the great strides WSACCO has made in promoting the welfare of its members and supporting the cooperative movement in Uganda,” he said.

 

Col Joseph Freddy Onata, WSACCO’s CEO, highlighted the potential for military SACCOs to learn from each other’s growth strategies and best practices. He added that hosting the Botswana Defence Forces SACCO was a way of giving back, as Botswana was one of the countries the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) visited for benchmarking in 2003, prior to WSACCO’s establishment in 2005.

 

The visit underscored the cooperative spirit among military institutions, fostering knowledge sharing and collaboration for mutual growth and community development.

 

Dikwata’s delegation included Brig Gen Kgaswanyane, a Board member, and CEO Col Ditoit Ronnie Ramhitshana, along with other board members. WSACCO was represented by Col Dan Tizihwayo, Board Secretary; Director of Finance and Administration Lt Col Benon Kato; Director of Operations Mr Williams Atalyeba; and other department heads.