NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 23 – Traders of Gikomba stormed B-Smart Sacco complaining inability to access their savings as well as loan.
They accused the Sacco’s management for frequently telling them lies on cash withdrawals as well as loans applied.
“We have saved with the Sacco down there at Gikomba and everytime we come here they lie to us,” one of the sacco clients said.
“Somebody tells you come on Monday and when you come on that day you are told the CEO has gone for a burial for close to one month and when he comes back they also say the form has been signed,” she added.
This comes at a time when there have been rising cases of banks as well as sacco members complaining of inability to access their funds.
In October last year, Shariah-compliant First Community Bank customers were unable to withdraw their monies as the bank limits heavy drawings occasioned by panicking customers.
In a statement, the bank acknowledged the challenge while saying that the problem is being felt in some of its branches.
“We acknowledge that our customers may currently be experiencing challenges in some of their transactions occasioned by panic withdrawals informed by malicious rumors.”
“These unprecedented withdraws have caused a strain on our daily operations, necessitating the Bank under the guidance of the regulator to limit some services,” the Bank said in a statement.
Withdrawal restrictions, it said, were meant to maintain stability in the short and long term.
“I have saved but I have never been given a loan. Every time I apply, they do not give me my money,” another customer lamented.
