Opening a Bank Account in Kenya
Submitted by Teresa Mellish
February 1, 2006
Yesterday I assisted Shaad Olingo, our Kenyan agent , to work with the Headmaster of the Ruuju Primary School to open a bank account for the project we have in partnership with the school.
The Chairperson of the Farmers Helping Farmers Council assisted us early in the morning by introducing us at 9 am to the right personnel in the Cooperative Bank of Kenya - who assured us that he would "facilitate" the opening of the account when we had the appropriate documents signed and stamped.
Then the minutes of the meeting of the Ruuju project management committee had to be typed. These minutes showed who the signatories of the account were to be. So I went to buy a bottle of water and watch the interesting traffic in front of the bank while Shaad got the minutes typed at a Cyber Café and got his photo taken for the bank account. When a new bank account is opened, all the signatories not only have to sign a signature card; they also have to provide a photograph of themselves.
At about 10:30 am we left Meru for the 50 km drive north to the District Education Office (DEO) in Maua, the District Headquarters for the Ruuju School. We had to go there to get a form approving the school opening a project bank account At one point in the climb to Maua, we could see a long distance to Isiolo over very dry land.
The District Education Officer was not there! So the very capable and industrious Secretary found an Education officer to meet with us. He agreed to complete the necessary form . When he went to the Secretary for the form, we found out they were out of that form. The Headmaster found out that if we went to the local Cyber Café, we should be able to purchase a copy of the form- so I sat outside the DEO and read the Daily Nation while Shaad and the Headmaster went to look for the form. After producing the form the Headmaster went to the Education officer’s office to complete it while Shaad and I both read the Daily Nation on the bench outside the DEO. Then there appeared to be a search for the appropriate stamp for the minutes and the form.
At about 1 pm we left the DEO in Maua to return to Meru to open the account at the bank We met the Treasurer at the bank and proceeded to complete forms for a new bank account. There are to be four signatories to the account- and we waited anxiously for the School Chairman to arrive. At 3 pm they closed the bank doors so, we could not complete the opening of the bank account. We did order cheques which should be available on Friday.
All in a Kenyan day’s work.
February 1, 2006
Yesterday I assisted Shaad Olingo, our Kenyan agent , to work with the Headmaster of the Ruuju Primary School to open a bank account for the project we have in partnership with the school.
The Chairperson of the Farmers Helping Farmers Council assisted us early in the morning by introducing us at 9 am to the right personnel in the Cooperative Bank of Kenya - who assured us that he would "facilitate" the opening of the account when we had the appropriate documents signed and stamped.
Then the minutes of the meeting of the Ruuju project management committee had to be typed. These minutes showed who the signatories of the account were to be. So I went to buy a bottle of water and watch the interesting traffic in front of the bank while Shaad got the minutes typed at a Cyber Café and got his photo taken for the bank account. When a new bank account is opened, all the signatories not only have to sign a signature card; they also have to provide a photograph of themselves.
At about 10:30 am we left Meru for the 50 km drive north to the District Education Office (DEO) in Maua, the District Headquarters for the Ruuju School. We had to go there to get a form approving the school opening a project bank account At one point in the climb to Maua, we could see a long distance to Isiolo over very dry land.
The District Education Officer was not there! So the very capable and industrious Secretary found an Education officer to meet with us. He agreed to complete the necessary form . When he went to the Secretary for the form, we found out they were out of that form. The Headmaster found out that if we went to the local Cyber Café, we should be able to purchase a copy of the form- so I sat outside the DEO and read the Daily Nation while Shaad and the Headmaster went to look for the form. After producing the form the Headmaster went to the Education officer’s office to complete it while Shaad and I both read the Daily Nation on the bench outside the DEO. Then there appeared to be a search for the appropriate stamp for the minutes and the form.
At about 1 pm we left the DEO in Maua to return to Meru to open the account at the bank We met the Treasurer at the bank and proceeded to complete forms for a new bank account. There are to be four signatories to the account- and we waited anxiously for the School Chairman to arrive. At 3 pm they closed the bank doors so, we could not complete the opening of the bank account. We did order cheques which should be available on Friday.
All in a Kenyan day’s work.
posted by Admin at 12:39 PM
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