Coming soon, Kenyan certified managers

Kenya will soon have certified public managers, should a law regulating the practice of management be passed by parliament. This means that anyone bearing the title of 'manager' will need to be certified. The Bill titled, The Kenya Institute of Management Bill 2009, will among other things register practicing managers and bind them to a code of conduct.

Kenya like many African countries is grappling with issues of governance, a fact that was reiterated by Hillary Clinton, the United States Secretary of State during her recent three-day visit to Kenya. Ending impunity for corruption is critical to Kenya's future, said Clinton. Every year, billions of Shillings are lost because of corruption.

The Kenya Institute of Management (KIM) in collaboration with several stakeholders is spearheading efforts to have the Bill made law. Membership to KIM has been voluntary and will remain voluntary should the Bill become a law. “Soon as a management professional becomes a member, s/he will then be subject to a code of conduct and peer review. This will ensure adherence to best practices in management,” said David Muturi, the executive director of KIM.

KIM, established in 1954, will be following in the footsteps of other professional bodies like the Law Society of Kenya, Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya etc.