Jim McFie, a fellow of ICPAK
If There Is One Thing Needed in Kenya Today, It Is the Truth
Levin Opiyo Odhiambo records that a Union-Castle Mail Steamship (probably the Kenya Castle) departed Mombasa on September 12, 1951, for London, stopping at Aden, Port Said, Genoa, and Gibraltar. According to the passenger list there were five Kenyans on board. They were heading for further studies in the UK. One was Jason Likimani: he was going to the University of London to study medicine. An alumnus of Alliance Boys School, on his return to Kenya, he was the first African to be appointed Director of Medical Services. The second was Ezekiel Minjo going to the University of Cambridge to study Mathematics. Also, an alumnus of Alliance, he later taught at Kakamega School and Kamusinga, before being appointed an education officer. The third was Zakayo Mwangi, also heading to Cambridge for his post-graduate studies after a period as a teacher at Alliance. Zakayo was also an old boy of Alliance, where he was also the school captain. Carrey Francis described him as an “A+ student and a very responsible one for that matter.” Zakayo was not able to finish his studies at Cambridge after he developed mental health problems. He returned to Kenya after being hospitalized in Britain for some months. But his condition improved on his return to Kenya, and he resumed his teaching at Alliance. He later became Chairman of the Teachers’ Service Commission. The fourth was Ishmael Omondi: he was also a teacher at his former school Alliance and was heading to the University of London for a BSc. On his return he was appointed Education Officer, Department of Education, with effect from August 19, 1955. He later became the Principal of Kenyatta University College. When he retired, he settled in Kamagut in the Rift Valley where he died in 1994.
The fifth was John Mwangi, also an old boy of Alliance. After obtaining a degree he served a five-year apprenticeship with a firm of Chartered Accountants, Reid and Mair, in Glasgow. He was admitted to membership of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland on September 18, 1959. He was the first African Chartered Accountant in East and Central Africa. He returned to Kenya and established a practice in Nakuru. His firm merged with Barber, Bellhouse & Co., an expatriate firm established there in 1930, to form Barber, Bellhouse, Mwangi & Co. in 1965, later to become part of Ernst & Young.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) is the world’s first professional accountancy body. It was established with a Royal Charter in 1854. In 1853, a Society of Accountants had been established in both Glasgow and Edinburgh; they merged in 1854. ICAS was the first institute to adopt the “Chartered Accountant” (CA) designation and its distinctive letters. The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) was formed by Royal Charter on May 11, 1880. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) began as the American Association of Public Accountants (AAPA) in 1887; it changed its name several times to the Institute of Public Accountants in 1916, the American Institute of Accountants in 1917 and finally to its present name, the AICPA in 1957.
ICAS’s Royal Charter has been amended over time (1992, 2006, and 2012) to adapt to evolving financial landscapes, but its core identity as the world’s first CA body remains central to its history.
ICAS has just published a document entitled “Society First: Shaping the Profession”. It follows an earlier research report entitled “Seek the Truth: Ethical Insights for finance professionals” published in October 2025.
If there is one thing needed in Kenya today, it is the truth. “Society First” explores what the future of the accountancy profession should look like in order to meet evolving societal needs. It presents insights from both members of the public and accountants themselves — combining surveys and qualitative research to define areas of trust, perception, challenges, and future opportunities for the profession.
It recognizes that we face rapid technological, social, economic, and regulatory changes. How can the accounting profession remain relevant, trusted, and valuable to society, aligned with IFAC’s public interest mission.
The report drew on a quantitative survey of 1,000+ citizens, chosen to reflect a broad cross-section of society: admittedly, this would not necessarily represent what Kenyans think. But the views are useful nevertheless. Eight qualitative focus groups with participants representing diverse demographic backgrounds were consulted. The aim was to capture both external (public) and internal (professional) perspectives on the current role, reputation, core strengths, and future potential of the accountancy profession. The report explicitly states that these findings do not necessarily reflect ICAS’s views but rather reveal what society and professionals think about the profession today and where it might head tomorrow.
Trust in the accountancy profession is generally strong, though it varies depending on familiarity: 78% trust the profession among those closer to or familiar with accountancy; 58% trust it among those less familiar, indicating a perception gap; only 5% actively distrust accountants, though 28% remain neutral about trust.
The strongest drivers of trust are: (i) Expertise in their field; (ii) Honesty and transparency; (iii) Acting in the client’s best interest; and (iv) The ability to explain complex concepts simply. These factors underscore that trust is grounded not just in technical proficiency but also in ethical conduct, clarity, and relationship-building.
While trust is high, there is room for improvement — particularly among “passive” members of society who do not interact regularly with accountants. Enhancing understanding of what accountants do remains critical to strengthening this trust further.
The research uncovered a significant perception gap: (i) 50% of the public do not really understand what accountants do; and (ii) 55% of the public associate accountants primarily with wealthy clients. Many still see accountancy as mainly tax, bookkeeping, and compliance work. In contrast, 56% of accountants believe the profession should focus on core functions such as: (i) Financial management; (ii) Reporting; and (iii) Assurance services. However, many accountants also recognize that staying relevant is the central challenge in an era of technology and automation.
These findings suggest that the profession needs to do a better job of communicating its full value proposition — beyond number-crunching — to reflect the breadth of roles and impact accountants have in business, sustainability, ethics, and strategic decision-making.
Different groups highlighted distinct future challenges: (i) the general public: Managing household finances, long-term planning, and financial uncertainty. (ii)
Professionals from other professions (active respondents): Tax responsibilities and small business management; and (iii) Accountants themselves: Main concerns include remaining relevant in a tech-driven world, the complexity of the profession, and reputational risk from sector scandals. There is a clear call for financial literacy and empowerment, as well as tailored services that span individual financial wellbeing, small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) support, and ethical guidance.
The report identifies several areas where the profession could expand its relevance and impact: (i) Expanded Advisory Roles: A large portion of respondents believe accountants are ready to offer broader services, such as: (a) Supporting small and medium sized enterprises (68%); (b) Acting as financial wellbeing advisors (61%); and (c) Providing ethical consultation (53%). (ii) Technology & AI: Professionals see AI and data analytics as the biggest opportunity for future growth (54%), followed by sustainability reporting (17%) and ethical leadership (10%). Routine tasks like bookkeeping and payroll are expected to become automated, elevating the importance of strategic work, professional judgement, and interpretation. (iii) Human Accountability: Despite automation, there is strong consensus that human oversight will remain critical — to interpret data, exercise professional judgement, and ensure responsibility for outcomes.
Participants were presented with hypothetical future scenarios (including a “super consultancy” model), which elicited mixed reactions: (i) Some see advantages in offering full-service advisory support. (ii) Others reject it as unrealistic due to regulatory limits and conflicts of interest. (iii) Most agreed that a network model of specialists might be more practical than one firm providing all services.
To respond to the insights gathered, the report proposes a suite of strategic recommendations around: (i) Communication & Perception: Accountants must: (a) better articulate the profession’s value through plain language and real-world case studies; and (b) highlight the diversity of roles and impacts accountants have beyond traditional tasks. (ii) Education & Skills: Accountants must: (a) strengthen interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, and ethical training in professional education and continuous development; and (b) adapt curricula and professional development programs to include sustainability reporting, technology competence, and AI literacy. (iii) Public Literacy: Accountants must: (a) advocate for improved financial literacy education across all levels — from basic money management in schools to more advanced financial planning tools for adults.
(iv) Professional Support: (i) Firms must provide mentoring, coaching, and support structures that prepare accountants for future challenges and leadership roles, maintaining high standards of ethical oversight and public interest service.
The “Society First” report paints a picture of a profession that remains trusted, relevant, and expert, yet faces a perception gap and evolving expectations from society. To thrive in the coming years, the accountancy profession must:
(i) Communicate its value more clearly; (ii) Embrace technological change while preserving human judgement; (iii) Expand into advisory and societal roles; (iv) Champion ethical leadership and public trust. Doing so will help ensure that accounting remains not just a profession of numbers, but a societal pillar of trust, insight, and strategic value in a complex world.
What is most interesting is that when one reads this document produced by an Institute in an “advanced” economy, one realizes that the challenges and the concerns for the future in the accounting profession in that country are very similar to those faced by accountants in Kenya. The report was produced under the direction of ICAS: it could very well be read almost identically if it had been produced by the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya.
