Invest and Grow (IG) Sacco has begun a new chapter at the top, with Mary Awino taking over as acting chief executive officer at a time when the teachers’ cooperative is looking to build on years of expansion.
Awino moved into the position in August after serving as the Sacco’s finance manager. She replaces Dr CPA Peter A. Vuhya, who has proceeded on terminal leave ahead of his retirement. She will remain in the acting position as the board works towards the appointment of a substantive CEO.
Her appointment comes only months after another leadership change at the Sacco. Rodgers Waswa was elected chairman of the board earlier this year, replacing Kennedy Keya, who completed his tenure.
The timing puts the new leadership in charge of an institution that has grown far beyond its early years. IG Sacco, which is based in Western Kenya and has a strong membership among teachers, had an asset base of about Sh16 billion at the end of 2025. Its membership has also moved closer to the 30,000 mark.
Awino is not new to the institution or its financial demands. Before moving into the CEO’s office, she was responsible for the Sacco’s finances and was involved in decisions around budgeting, investments, liquidity and financial reporting.
The Sacco credits her with helping to raise annual revenue by about 20 per cent during her time as finance manager. Her cost-control measures are also said to have brought operating expenses down by 15 per cent.
“Her leadership was instrumental in guiding the finance team through successful internal and external audits,” the Sacco said, adding that the audits did not record significant findings.
Awino also worked on strengthening the Sacco’s cash position, reducing its dependence on overdrafts and loans. The institution says she also helped spread its investments across different areas to reduce the risks that come with relying too heavily on one source of income.
Another area that benefited from her work was financial reporting. The Sacco says a new reporting system introduced under her watch improved accuracy and reduced the time needed to prepare reports by 30 per cent. It also helped the institution maintain full regulatory compliance without penalties or fines.
The changes at the top come as IG Sacco continues to pursue membership growth and improve the services available to its members. Earlier this year, the cooperative was also facing calls from retired members for greater representation in its affairs.
Retirees argued that they had played a major role in building the Sacco and should have a stronger voice in decision-making. The issue has added another layer to the leadership’s task as it seeks to attract younger members while keeping older members engaged.
The Sacco has also been encouraging more teachers, particularly newly recruited junior secondary school teachers, to join the cooperative as part of its long-term membership strategy. Management has previously set a target of growing membership by 10 per cent each year.
With Awino moving to the CEO position, Salome Juma has been appointed acting finance manager to oversee the department she previously headed.
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