NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 5 – The Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK) has sounded alarm over the rising infiltration of unqualified individuals in accounting roles, warning that the trend is fueling corporate collapse and eroding financial accountability.
ICPAK Chairperson Elizabeth Kalunda, speaking during the institute’s inaugural Town Hall, said the profession is intensifying efforts to root out quacks who masquerade as accountants.
“We are coming out very strongly to ensure that those people who masquerade as accountants do not practice so that we can allow only professionals to work as accountants,” she said.
“This makes the decision makers make the wrong decision. This has led to collapse of firms.”
She stressed that Kenya has no shortage of certified experts, noting that over 35,000 professionals are registered with ICPAK.
However, many remain unemployed while unqualified individuals continue to fill critical positions, including in county governments where public accounts are handled by non-members, leading to substandard financial reporting.
ICPAK cautioned that reports prepared by such individuals have increasingly been tabled before parliamentary committees during governors’ appearances, raising concerns over the quality of oversight. Kalunda added that the institute is engaging devolved units to address the problem.
The warning comes amid revelations by the Public Service Commission (PSC) that 1,019 officers had used fake certificates during the 2023/2024 authentication exercise. Of these, 449 were dismissed, 181 resigned, 26 retired, 70 face disciplinary action, 79 are under investigation, and 15 cases remain pending.
The findings, ICPAK said, highlight the broader challenge of unqualified individuals infiltrating the civil service and undermining professionalism across government institutions.
