Abstract
The study focused on assessing how the
funding structure mediates the relationship between corporate governance (CG)
and financial performance (FP) in deposit-taking Savings and Credit Cooperative
Organizations (SACCOs) in Kenya from 2018 to 2022. The research covered all 172
deposit-taking SACCOs in Kenya, using longitudinal data sourced from annual
financial reports and supervision reports by the Sacco Societies Regulatory
Authority (SASRA). To estimate the relationships, the fixed effect model was
utilized, justified by the Hausman specification test. The findings indicated
that the funding structure acts as a partial mediator in the CG-FP
relationship. This implies that while CG has a direct impact on FP, the funding
structure also significantly influences this relationship. These findings are
critical for theoretical development, as they enhance the understanding of how
CG affects FP through the funding structure. Moreover, the results have
significant policy implications. For regulators like SASRA, the findings
provide insights into crafting policies that strengthen CG practices to improve
FP with in SACCOs. For SACCO management, the study offers guidance on
developing strategies that align their funding structures with effective
governance practices to achieve better financial outcomes.
Keywords: Corporate Governance, Funding Structure, Financial
Performance; Deposit Taking SACCO’s.