Best SACCOs in Kenya 2026: Top 5 by Dividend and Interest on Deposits

Tower SACCO paid the best combined return of Kenya's big SACCOs for 2025: a 20% dividend on shares plus 13% interest on deposits (Biznakenya). Kenya National Police DT and Hazina SACCO weren't far behind.

But the highest rate isn't always the best SACCO for you. Its size, loan terms and how easily you can get your money out matter just as much. Here are the five strongest payers, checked October 2026.

SACCO dividend and interest rates in Kenya, 2026 (FY2025 results)

These are the rates SACCOs declared for the year ended 31 December 2025, paid out at 2026 AGMs and Annual Delegates Meetings (ADMs), as tracked by Money254 in January 2026 and cross-checked against our own SACCO dividends calculator, which pulls the same AGM-season figures. A SACCO's rate can and does change every year, so treat 2025's numbers as a guide to who pays well consistently, not a guarantee of what you'll get in 2026.

Dividend vs interest on deposits: what's actually being paid

A SACCO pays you two different things, and mixing them up is the most common mistake first-time members make.

• Dividend on share capital is paid only on the shares you bought to become a member (often a one-off KES 1,000–5,000, deducted once). It's declared as a percentage of your shareholding and voted on at the AGM. It's taxed at 5% withholding tax when paid to an individual member.
• Interest on deposits is paid on your savings balance in your BOSA (Back Office Service Activity) account, the money you pay in monthly on top of your shares. For most members, this is the bigger amount in shillings, because most people hold far more in savings than in shares. It's also taxed, though at a different rate from the dividend, and your SACCO's yearly statement shows the rate after tax.

Say you hold KES 5,000 in shares and KES 240,000 in savings with Stima SACCO. At 16% and 11%, you'd earn roughly KES 800 in dividends and KES 26,400 in deposit interest for the year, before withholding tax.

Top 5 SACCOs in Kenya by dividend, 2026

Tower SACCO

Tower SACCO, based in Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County, declared a 20% dividend on shares and a 13% rebate on deposits for FY2025 at its AGM on 24 January 2026, the same as the year before (Biznakenya). Total assets grew 23% to about KES 34.6 billion, loans rose 17% to KES 25.2 billion, and it has 247,858 members. It's open to the public, not tied to one employer, which makes it one of the easier high payers on this list to join.

Kenya National Police DT SACCO

Kenya National Police DT SACCO paid a 17% dividend and 11% interest on deposits for FY2025, according to Money254's 2026 roundup. That's the same as the year before, making it one of the few large SACCOs to keep its payout steady two years running. Membership is open to serving and retired police officers and their families.

Stima SACCO

Stima SACCO, the Kenya Power staff SACCO now open to the wider public, declared a 16% dividend and 11% interest on deposits for FY2025, per Money254. With roughly KES 75 billion in assets, it's one of the largest SACCOs in the country, which gives it more room to absorb bad debt than smaller SACCOs paying similar rates.

Hazina SACCO

Hazina SACCO declared a 17% dividend on shares and 10.75% interest on deposits for FY2025, per Money254's 2026 roundup. It draws heavily from civil servants and parastatal employees but, like Tower, accepts members from the general public.

Mwalimu National SACCO

Mwalimu National SACCO, the largest teachers' SACCO in East Africa and now Kenya's biggest SACCO by assets at KES 76.3 billion (up from KES 68.9 billion), kept its dividend at 13% and raised interest on deposits slightly to 10.05% from 10% for FY2025. Its surplus jumped 76% to KES 1.27 billion, its best since 2020, but that came after it wrote off KES 960.3 million from its failed Spire Bank investment, which is worth knowing if you're weighing size against risk. Its rate is the lowest of the five here, but its size and loans built for teachers keep it Kenya's biggest.

How to choose the best SACCO for dividends

Don't just chase the top rate. Check, in order:

1. Is it SASRA-licensed? Every deposit-taking SACCO must be supervised by the Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority. If it isn't on SASRA's list, your deposits aren't protected the same way.
2. How long has it paid consistently? A SACCO that's held 15%+ for three years running is a safer bet than one that spiked once.
3. Loan terms you'll use. Most members join for the cheap loans (often 1–1.2% a month on a reducing balance) as much as for the dividend, so compare how many times your deposits you can borrow.
4. Withdrawal rules. Some SACCOs lock share capital until you exit membership; check how long notice you need to withdraw savings.
5. Who can join. Several on this list (Tower, Stima, Hazina) now accept the general public, not just one employer's staff.

How to join a SACCO in Kenya

1. Choose a SACCO you can join that fits your savings goal: one tied to an employer (Mwalimu, Kenya Police) or one open to the public (Tower, Stima, Hazina).
2. Fill the membership form, available at the SACCO's office or app, with your ID, KRA PIN and passport photo.
3. Buy the minimum shares required (commonly KES 1,000–5,000, non-refundable while you're a member).
4. Start your monthly deposit, usually a minimum of KES 500–2,000 depending on the SACCO's by-laws.
5. Register for the mobile app or FOSA account so you can track your savings, apply for loans and see your dividend statement without visiting a branch.

Risks to know before you join

• A high rate one year doesn't guarantee the next. SACCOs re-declare rates annually based on the surplus they made; a bad year for loan recoveries can mean a lower payout.
• SACCO savings aren't bank deposits. KDIC only insures deposits at commercial banks, mortgage finance institutions and microfinance banks (up to KES 500,000 per depositor), and SACCO deposits aren't on that list. Your protection is SASRA's supervision, not deposit insurance.
• KUSCCO losses have hit even well-run SACCOs. A PwC forensic audit found roughly KES 13 billion lost to fraud and mismanagement at the Kenya Union of Savings and Credit Co-operatives (KUSCCO), which many SACCOs used to place deposits. Tower SACCO, the top payer on this list, disclosed a KES 149.5 million cash deposit loss tied to KUSCCO in January 2026 (Capital FM). A strong dividend doesn't mean a SACCO has no exposure elsewhere; ask what it holds with KUSCCO and how that's provisioned for.
• Don't confuse the dividend rate with your total return. A 20% dividend on KES 5,000 of shares is KES 1,000. For most members, the real money is the interest on deposits, which is why the two figures in the table above matter more together than either one alone.
• Rebranded SACCOs keep their track record. If a SACCO you know has recently changed its name (Safaricom SACCO, for instance, rebranded to Qona SACCO in late 2024), confirm you're checking the current entity's AGM figures, not an old one under the former name.

Wondering where SACCO savings fit against other options? If you'd rather not lock money away until an AGM, compare the best money market funds in Kenya, which earn interest daily, or look at Treasury bills on DhowCSD, where KES 50,000 gets you a government-backed payout in as little as 91 days. SACCO dividends and interest both count as income you should declare: see our guide to filing your KRA returns for where investment income goes on the form. Every employed Kenyan is also already saving through NSSF alongside any SACCO, so check current NSSF rates and how to see your balance if you're not sure how much of your pay goes there.

If you'd rather save with people you know than join a big SACCO, a chama can work just as well if it runs on clear rules. See how to register a chama in Kenya to get the paperwork right from the start.

Frequently asked questions

Which SACCO pays the highest dividend in Kenya in 2026?

Tower SACCO leads with a 20% dividend on shares and 13% interest on deposits for FY2025, matched on the dividend side only by Ports SACCO. Kenya National Police DT SACCO and Hazina SACCO both pay 17%.

What's the difference between a SACCO dividend and interest on deposits?

The dividend is paid only on your share capital (the one-off amount you bought to join); interest on deposits is paid on your ongoing savings balance. Both are declared separately at the AGM and most members earn far more from the interest line because their savings balance is larger than their shares.

How do I calculate my SACCO dividend?

Multiply your share capital by the declared dividend rate, and your average savings balance by the declared interest rate, then subtract 5% withholding tax from the dividend portion. Our SACCO dividends calculator does this for 12 major SACCOs using their current declared rates.

Is my money safe in a Kenyan SACCO?

It's reasonably safe if the SACCO is licensed by SASRA, which supervises all deposit-taking SACCOs and requires minimum capital and liquidity ratios. SACCO deposits aren't covered by deposit insurance the way bank accounts are, so stick to SASRA-licensed SACCOs with a multi-year track record of paying out.

How do I join a SACCO in Kenya?

Pick an eligible SACCO, fill in a membership form with your ID and KRA PIN, buy the minimum required shares (commonly KES 1,000–5,000), and start a monthly deposit. Several SACCOs on this list, including Tower, Stima and Hazina, are now open to the general public rather than one employer.

Are SACCO dividends taxed?

Yes. Dividends paid to individual members have 5% withholding tax deducted before the SACCO pays out, and for resident individuals that's the final tax. Interest on deposits is also taxed, so check your SACCO's yearly statement or tax certificate for the exact rate, and declare both when you file your KRA return.