The Constitution
of
blabla Youth Self Help Group
2019
1. Name of the Group
Blabla Youth Self Help Group is hereby established as a non-political, non-
sectarian, voluntary youth self-help group of members for the furtherance of
the objectives hereinafter appearing.
2. Vision
To create an enabling environment for improving quality of life through
business development and agricultural activities.
3. Mission
To see members improve their living standards through economic growth
and development by boosting their businesses and agricultural activities.
4. Objectives
i. To enhance the economic status of the members;
ii. To support each other financially, socially, emotionally, mentally and
spiritually whenever necessary;
iii. To acquire property and chattels and do such things as may be
approved by members of the group;
iv. To transform itself into a microfinance or investment company at an
appropriate time;
v. To do all other things that are incidental or conducive to the
attainment of all or any of the foregoing objective
5. Membership
A member must:
i. Be aged 18 years and above;
ii. Be a person of sound mind;
iii. Be willing to abide by all the rules and regulations of the group;
iv. Be introduced by two members of the group who have been active for
a period of not less than three (3) months;
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v. Every member of the group shall pay the group a non-refundable
registration fee of Ksh. 1,000 or such other fee as may be
prescribed;
vi. Every member will be required to pay a monthly contribution of not
less than Ksh. 2,000 or such other fee as may be determined by the
general committee meeting of the group from time to time;
vii. Every member on being accepted for membership shall notify the
group of his/her next of kin and the next of kin shall be responsible for
the debts and be entitled to the rights, privileges, obligations,
emoluments and dividends of the deceased member.
6. Resignation from the Group
i. Any member desiring to resign from the group shall give a two (2)
months written notice of the intended resignation to the chairperson
and the resignation shall take effect from the date of expiry of the
notice, provided that the member has cleared all other commitments
made by him/her to the group and has handed over all the properties
of the group in his/her possession during the period of notice;
ii. If any of the shares of a member desiring to resign has been invested
in land, buildings and other immovable property, the resignation shall
only be effected when another member of the group has bought such
invested shares;
iii. Any member who falls into arrears with his/her monthly subscription
for more than one year shall automatically cease to be a member and
his/her name struck off the register of the group members.
7. Removal from Membership
i. The executive committee shall have power to suspend a member from
his/her membership on the grounds that the member’s conduct has
adversely affected the reputation and dignity of the group or that the
member has contravened any of the provisions of the constitution of
the group;
ii. A member who fails to attend 3 consecutive properly convened
meetings without a valid reason will be suspended from the
membership;
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iii. The grievances against a suspended member shall be reported and
discussed at the next general meeting of the group following the
suspension and the meeting shall resolve by two thirds (2/3) majority
of the members present whether to expel the suspended member or
lift the suspension. In the same meeting and or in the general meeting
or in a specially convened general meeting, modalities on how and
when the shares will be refunded to an expelled member shall be
discussed;
iv. Any person who is expelled from membership is NOT entitled to a
refund of any moneys apart from shares contributed by him/her to the
group;
v. A person expelled from membership of the group may re apply for
membership provided that such a person shall only be re admitted as a
member with the authority of a special resolution adopted by the
annual general meeting.
8. Group Officials
i. The Chairperson
The chairperson shall be the executive head and the spokesperson of the
group.
The chairlady shall provide leadership to the group and shall unless
prevented by illness or sufficient cause preside over all meetings of the
executive committee and all the general meetings.
Organizes agendas and summarizes them at the end of the meeting and
encourage participation by all members.
The chairperson shall represent the group at meetings with other.
The chairperson shall have a casting vote.
ii. The Vice Chairperson
The vice chairperson shall perform such duties as may be specifically
assigned to him/her by the chairperson.
In the absence of the chairperson, he/she shall perform the duties of the
chairperson.
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iii. The Secretary
The secretary shall issue notices convening all meetings of the executive
committee and all the general meetings of the group
He/she shall be responsible for keeping minutes of all such meetings and for
preservation of all records and proceedings of the group and of the executive
committee.
The secretary shall be responsible for all the correspondence of the group
under the general supervision of the executive committee. In cases of urgent
matters where the executive committee cannot be consulted, he or she shall
consult the chairperson or if the chairperson is not available, the vice
chairperson. The decision reached shall be subject for ratification or
otherwise at the next executive committee meeting.
The secretary shall organize all the meetings and activities of the group
including booking and or reserving of venues.
In the absence of the secretary, the treasurer shall perform the duties of the
secretary.
iv. The Treasurer
The treasurer shall receive and also disburse under the directions of the
executive Committee all the moneys belonging to the group and shall issue
receipts for all the moneys received by him/her and preserve vouchers for all
the moneys paid out by him/her.
The treasurer shall be responsible to the executive committee and to the
members of the group that proper books of accounts of all the moneys
received and paid out by the group are written up, preserved and available
for inspection and audit.
9. Bank Account Signatories
The following executive members shall be the signatories of the group
account; which also two of them are eligible for being signatories:
i. The chairperson;
ii. The secretary;
iii. The treasurer.
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Money may be withdrawn from the group’s account by at least two (2) of the
above listed officials at any given time.
10. The Group Funds
The group funds shall be sourced from:
a) Members’ registration fees and subscriptions;
b) Grants and Donations;
c) Fundraisings;
d) Investments;
e) Support from group’s friends and well-wishers;
f) Member’s contributions;
g) Financial institutions and banks;
h) Any other source approved by members.
The funds shall only be used on ventures agreed upon by the executive
committee and approved by all the group members in a general meeting.
11. Type of Group Meetings
There will be three (3) meetings namely:
i. Executive Committee Meeting
This is a meeting for the executive committee members who are mainly the
office bearers. They discuss the concerning issues of the group and its
progress as would always be appropriate and in the spirit of the group
objectives.
ii. General Meeting
This meeting involves all the members of the group and will be held monthly
and annually to discuss the progress of the group.
Major decisions of the group will be decided in the general meeting.
The group constitution can be amended after a proposal in a general
meeting.
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iii. Impromptu Meetings
This meeting will be convened without any prior arrangement depending on
the need and the urgency of such a meeting.
12. Group Discipline
Any member of the group who will miss any meeting without prior
information shall be fined an amount not less than Ksh. 500;
Any member who comes to the meeting late will be fined Ksh. 200
irrespective of the extent of lateness.
13. Audit
An auditor shall be appointed for the following year in a general meeting
from amongst the members of the group. All the group accounts, records
and documents shall be open to the inspection of the auditor at any time.
The treasurer shall produce an account of his/her receipts and payments and
a statement of assets and liabilities made up to a date which shall not be
less than four weeks and not more than eight weeks before the date of the
annual general meeting;
The auditor shall examine such annual accounts and statements and either
certify that they are correct, duly vouched and in accordance with the law or
report to the group in what respect they are found to be incorrect, not
vouched or not in accordance with the law;
The group’s books of accounts will be open for self audit by the group
members and external audits by any other responsible authority.
14. Amendments of the Constitution
This constitution shall be the supreme law of the group and any other law or
rule of regulation inconsistent with it shall be null and void to the extent of
inconsistency subject to the provisions of the laws of Kenya;
Any amendment to this group constitution must be approved by at least a
two third majority of the embers at a general meeting of the group and
implemented immediately thereafter provided the amendment does not
contravene Government Regulations.
15. Dissolution
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The group shall not be dissolved except by a resolution passed at a general
meeting of the members by a vote of two thirds of the members present;
If no quorum is obtained, the proposal to dissolve the group shall be
submitted to a further general meeting which shall be held within one
calendar month. Notice to this meeting shall be given to all members of the
group at least four (4) days before the date of the meeting, the quorum for
this second meeting shall be the number of the members present;
However, no dissolution shall be affected without the prior consent in writing
of the officials in the relevant Government Department, obtained upon
application to him/her made in writing and signed by three office bearers;
When the relevant Government Department has approved the dissolution of
the group, no further action shall be taken by the executive committee or
any officer of the group in connection with the aims of the group other than
to get in and liquidate all the assets of the group. Subject to payment of all
the debts of the group the balance thereof shall be distributed in such other
manner as may be resolved by the meeting at which the resolution for
dissolution is passed.
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