Report to the Commissioner for Cooperative Development

1.0 Introduction

Samuru Gituto Farmers Cooperative Society Limited was established on 10th September, 1964 under certificate of registration number 1218 as a Cooperative society (Annex 1) with around 1000 paid-up members. The Cooperative was originally dealing in coffee.

According to the records among the founder members of the society were Thuo Njuguna, Hiram Kamau Nganga, Wilson Mwangi and Peter Muchiri, Michael Mburu Nganga among others. The father of the current Chairman, Mr. John N Thuo was among the founder members of the society. The same applies to some of the committee members whose parents were officials.

Upon arrival from Gambia in 2017, Mr. John N Thuo, the current Chairman had a conversation with his father, Mr. Thuo Njuguna upon which he convened a meeting with the founder members. The discussions centred on revitalization of the Cooperative society against the objectives and goals. During the meeting Mr. Thuo Njuguna and some founder members availed the documents and records of the society and its assets and liabilities, including the bank details and members register. A meeting was called with the members for which it was agreed to constitute the management of the society.

However, from the above information, the elected officials took up the matters and contacted other members and consolidated the records, assets, and liabilities. The officials further sought to identify the location of the land and plots of the Cooperative society. It was found that some founder members were no longer living and others were too old to be active in the matters of the society for which their next of kin took up their shares. Most of the current Management Committee members reside in close proximity to the land owned by Samuru Gituto Farmers Cooperative Society Limited and are offspring of the original officials and members.

During this period, it was found that there were fake people pretending to be members in cohorts with former employees who wanted to grab the land, but due to lack of records and information, they were unable to proceed. Some records were however stolen by some former employees of the Cooperative society and the matter was reported to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), through Mbigi Njuguna and Company Advocates on 1st December, 2023 (Annex 2). Mr. John Njuguna, who was a former employee of the Cooperative Society stole important records of Samuru Gituto Farmers Cooperative Society and went on to purport to be an official alongside with others. He is still being sought by DCI.

Due to the influence of those fake members, we were unable to access the Muranga County Government Cooperative Office and that is why we had to make an appeal to the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs Development, Hon. FCPA Dr. Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya, EGH through our letter dated 29th January 2026 (Annex 3).

In our communication we sought cancellation of the purported registration of another Samuru Gituto Farmers Cooperative Society Limited under certificate number 25334 on 12th November, 2016. We also requested that the Commissioner for Cooperative Development calls for a Special General Meeting and proposed that the meeting be held at the Cooperative Society premises which is next to Thika Green.

We did receive a response from the Cabinet Secretary through a letter Reference MCMSME/CS/2/5/43 dated 23rd March, 2026 in which we were informed of factions claiming leadership and advised to liaise with the Commissioner for Cooperative Development and the County Director of Cooperatives to facilitate the convening of a Special General Meeting.

2.0 County Government Involvement

When Counties were formed, the Samuru Gituto Farmers Cooperative Society records were removed from Thika and taken to Muranga County Cooperative office. This is notwithstanding that a larger part of the farm is in Thika and a smaller part in Muranga.

Mr. Nderu, the then Cooperative Officer in charge of Muranga directed that the meetings be held at Ihura stadium in Muranga and yet the Bylaws provided for the meetings to be held at the farm or Thika stadium.

Whenever Mr. Nderu would be invited by the genuine Samuru Gituto FCS officials to attend the Cooperative meetings he would refuse. He would claim that he only knows the officials of the Cooperative that was registered in 2016, and yet the registration was irregular.

During a meeting in 2021 called by Mr. Nderu he asked for documents from we, the genuine officials. We submitted documents that included a copy of the certificate of registration and title deed. He assured the genuine officials that he would call the other officials within 14 days.

On the material day, 4th October, 2023, Mr. Nderu arranged for the two groups of officials to meet the then Deputy Governor of Muranga County, H.E Kimani Mugo. Apparently, Mr. Nderu had shared our documents with the fake officials. Our team comprised of John N Thuo — Chairman, Julius G. Kamande — Vice Chairman, Esther G. Wanjiku — Treasurer, Andrew M Githua — Hon. Secretary, Julia T Marigi — Member, Onsemus K Kinyua — Member and Betty W Njoki — Member. The other party comprised of George Kuria, George Njuguna (currently being sought by DCI) and Evans Kagwe.

The agenda of the meeting was to establish the genuine officials and owners of the land. After deliberations and presentation by both parties, the Deputy Governor directed that the Cooperative Society and land belonged to the genuine owners of 1964 registration and not the officials of 2016. The Deputy Governor further directed the 2016 officials to close the office they had opened at Kenol, and to cease collecting money from unsuspecting members of the public under pretext of allocating them land. A photo of the meeting is available.

On 13th November, 2019, the Muranga County Cooperative Commissioner, Ms. Josephine Mwangi wrote to the Commissioner for Cooperative Development requesting for a replacement of the certificate of registration on behalf of the fake 2016 officials on grounds that it was lost. The irregular certificate of registration of 18th November, 2016 was also attached (Annex 4).

It is worthwhile to note that the County Cooperative Commissioner was conflicted since in 2019 she directly or through proxy reared more than 500 goats on the contested land and as a result was favouring the errant officials. The rearing of goats ended in 2023 upon contestation by the genuine 1964 registration officials.

We have since been meeting without the Cooperative officials at the County and Sub County level as they appear to have been compromised and hence the appeal to the Ministry of Cooperatives Headquarters.

3.0 Ministry of Lands Involvement

On or about 23rd May, 2024, the 2016 officials further proceeded to appeal to the Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Hon. Alice Wahome. The Cabinet Secretary requested all parties to submit documentation to prove ownership but the 2016 officials didn't. The following day the 1964 registration officials met the Cabinet Secretary who confirmed that based on the documentation we are the genuine owners.

Another group called Gatanga Kwao, comprising six officials also met the Cabinet Secretary and claimed to have purchased the land from Nimken Enterprises Limited in 2008. The matter was later taken up to the High Court who ruled that the land was rightfully owned by Samuru Gituto Farmers Cooperative Society (Annex 5).

It is worthwhile to note that out of the 501 acres owned by Samuru Gituto FCS, the only intruder is a Mr. Murega who has irregularly cut trees and cultivated 5 acres with avocados.

In February, 2026, some unscrupulous people invaded the farm and started cutting trees but were repulsed by the police.

4.0 Statutory Documents

The officials of the Samuru Gituto Farmers Cooperative Society have an office, postal address, Bylaws, PIN certificate Number P000623368Y (Annex 6) and Business Tax Compliance Certificate for 12 months up to 16/03/2027 (Annex 7), title deed for the land (501 acres) and have been filing annual returns with the Kenya Revenue Authority. The genuine officials and members are in possession and occupy the contested land. There is security in place to secure the land.

Our original certificate is CS No. 1218 that was registered on 10th September, 1964. The illegal officials have another irregular registration bearing the same name but different registration number 25334 that was registered on 18th November, 2016. The illegal officials have been using this registration to confuse and camouflage the government that they are the bonafide officials of the Cooperative Society and yet they do not have the original bonafide members. They have been using the certificate to solicit funds from unsuspecting members of the public under pretext that they will be allocated plots.

5.0 Annual Audited Accounts

The genuine officials of the Cooperative Society also presented Annual Audited Accounts for the years 2024 and 2025. Upon gathering that unauthorized Accounts by illegal officials purporting to represent Samuru Gituto Farmers Cooperative Society Limited we wrote to the Commissioner for Cooperative Development on 10th February, 2026 seeking to disallow any other registration of the Accounts for the Cooperative Society using our CS No. 1218 (Annex 8).

The 2016 officials presented the Annual Accounts as at 30th September, 2025 in February 2026, after the 1964 registration officials had already submitted Annual Audited Accounts for registration. The then Chairman of the 2016 officials died and was buried on 11th December 2025 but still appears on the records.

The fraudulent audited Accounts were signed by Mr. John Njuguna Githira as the treasurer and yet he is being sought by DCI for theft of official records and documents and the common seal of the Cooperative Society. The unauthorized Accounts have not yet been registered and the contents do not represent the situation on the ground.

6.0 Conclusion

The genuine members have been appealing to the officials to get a return on their investment.

In view of the foregoing, it is our request that the Commissioner for Cooperative Development calls for a Special General Meeting and the meeting be held at the Cooperative Society farm / premises which is next to Thika Green. Only authentic original members and their next of kin should be allowed to attend the Special General Meeting. Justice should be done for the benefit of the members.

The purported land purchasers who made payments to the unauthorized and fake officials should not be allowed to participate in the General Meeting. Samuru Gituto Farmers Cooperative Society Limited was registered with a clear mandate as a Farmers Cooperative Society and not as a Land purchase Cooperative. It is only the genuine members who should be able to make a decision on their assets.