A Story to be told

The oldest Union in Africa, Kilimanjaro Native Cooperative Union (KNCU) has marked 75 years since it was established in 1933. The Union has been a great pioneer of Cooperative Movement in Tanzania and Africa in general.
 
“75 years has been of great experience to KNCU, its members and the movement in large. From 11 societies’ member to 67 societies for sure it is a story to be told I am very proud to witness this, many of my age wished to see this future,” joyfully narrates a 93 year old and a former general manager of KNCU Philip Tesha.

It was 20 years after the first coffee seedlings were planted in Kilema, Moshi by Roman Catholic

missionaries from Germany in 1898, that a native from slopes of highest Kilimanjaro was allowed for the first time to grow coffee.

Only Missionaries and white settlers were allowed to cultivate coffee, but this situation changed after the arrival of Sir Charles Dundas. He was the first British District Commissioner of Moshi. He argued natives to go for coffee cultivation.

“He allowed us to plant coffee though we weren’t knowledgeable with the plant, Asian businessmen and White settlers did not like the idea, but Charles was the commissioner, he had power. Our ignorance to coffee business attracted exploiters to buy our coffee at the lowest price. A need to have a voice on this aroused.” details a retired officer and a Chairman of Uru Central Mawela Cooperative Society Seki Kiwia.

As opposed to white settlers and Asian businessmen the natives formed their first association in 1925 called Kilimanjaro Natives Planters Association (KNPA) led by Joseph Melinyo, but the association did not last longer.

In collaboration with former world war British pilot named Bennet, Sir Dundas assisted natives to form primary societies under Cooperative Ordinance of 1932;these societies were Kibong’oto Wanri, Machame Central, Uru Central Mawela, Mkuu Rombo, Tarakea, Kilema, Kibosho East, Kibosho West, Kibosho Central, Mamba and Keni.

“Places where chiefs reside were centers of small developed towns, within those, primary cooperative societies were formed. A chief provided land for these societies. That’s a reason why most of these societies found in populated areas.  They paved a way for registration of Union,” remarks the old man Philip Tesha.   

On 29th December of 1933 KNCU was registered as the first cooperative union in Africa. Thirty years later KNCU became a giant economic organization owning school, cooperative college, and sponsored farmers’ children education. It owned houses, farms, vehicles, coffee curing company, ginnery and a hotel located on the second and the third floor of a modern building with elevator launched in 1953 by Queen Elizabeth as the first one. More societies merged and serve thousands of members who sold their coffee to KNCU. 

“The night before government abolished cooperatives, wise men had been told by secret sources and therefore they spend a night resolving KNCU and registering Kilimanjaro Uremi Corporation or KUC. The next morning the announcement was made, all properties were under KUC. That’s why we still have some of the properties otherwise we wouldn’t have this building today,” explained former KNCU Board Chairperson Kavishe.

In 1982 the government introduced a new Cooperative Act; it took six years for this to happen, after the abolishment of cooperatives. KNCU was re-registered on 9th March, 1984 as KNCU (1984) Ltd.

From state ownership economy to market liberty, KNCU has been struggling and surviving in the hard way. KNCU monopolize coffee collection and many other businesses under state owning economy.

“After the liberalization of the market everything changed, private buyers were allowed to collect coffee from same members, we lost the monopoly. Individuals were allowed to sale sugar, cement, food and other many things that KNCU sale. The price of coffee dropped, members were discouraged and some decided to uproot their coffee and plant vegetables. The competition was very tight,” explains Raymond Kimaro Former General Manager of KNCU.

In 1992 the government had no choice but to accept the changes. These changes had so many effects to date. Cooperatives Unions monopolized the market and others sectors, it employs so many people and it had so many activities because of the existing system.

KNCU employed more than six hundred people, with serious competition and less preparation for the new system; it found itself in a very difficult time.

“We had to cut down the number of our employees, from six hundred to thirty two people. Really it was hard task, we turned ourselves to a core function of KNCU, the coffee. We drop down all shops, farms and other businesses and rent them to investors, we are just collecting rent that helps us to run other operations,” adds Mr Raymond Kimaro.

There are so many to be told in these 75 years but most important is KNCU has struggled hard and eventually it has survived and it will keeping on standing as a great Cooperative Union in Tanzania and Africa. Happy 75 years of Kilimanjaro Native Cooperative Union.