The relationship between governance practices and performance : evidence from deposit taking SACCOs in Nairobi and Central Kenya

Abstract

This empirical study has used data for the year 2010 to 2013 extracted from the Sacco Society Regulatory Authority’s Sacco supervision reports for thirty eight Savings and Credit Cooperatives in Nairobi and Central Kenya. The objective of this study is to evaluate the relationship between governance practices and performance of Deposit Taking Savings and Credit Co-operatives. The study has used Panel an Estimable Generalized Least Squares (Cross-section random effects) estimation technique to examine and determine the relationship between the independent variables: women on board chief executive officer gender and compliance with minimum capital requirements and the dependent variable return on assets. Control variables are age and debt. Results indicate that, consistent with prior studies, there is a positive relationship between women on board, CEO gender and age with return on assets. Conversely, there is a negative relationship between debt and compliance with minimum capital requirements with return on assets. Board size has been dropped from the analysis because all Deposit Taking Savings and Credit Co-operatives in Nairobi and Central Kenya have a constant board size of nine members. Results from analysis of primary data indicate that SACCOs have complied with most of the Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority’s prudential regulations. However, they still experience challenges in liquidity management and the over involvement of board members in daily Sacco operations. Sacco performance has improved with continued compliance with Sacco regulations over the four year period.