What is Bylaws (Co-operative)?
Bylaws are the registered internal rules of a co-operative society, setting out its objects, who may join, the rights and obligations of members, the composition and powers of the board and supervisory committee, how meetings are held, and how surplus is dealt with. They are registered under co-operative law and amending them follows a defined process.
A real Kenyan example
A member told they are ineligible to join is being told what the registered bylaws say, which is why the answer is not something staff at the counter can change.
Why it matters
The bylaws are the document that actually governs a member's relationship with the SACCO, and almost nobody reads them. They answer the questions members most often discover too late: exit terms, what happens to share capital, and who decides what.