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ACCA Finance Leaders Break Down Why African Governments Are Lagging Behind
"We Can't Afford to Keep Talking About the Same Issues"
Gerald Kombo
November 03, 2025
Andrew Kubo Mlawasi FCCA, CPA(K) (left), PFM and Tax Consultant and Chair of ACCA Public Sector Global Forum, Edna Chibole FCCA, MCOM (centre), Finance and Organizational Systems Consultant, and Asad Omar FCCA (right), Group CFO and Vice Chair of ACCA Kenya Advisory Committee, during the ACCA Africa Members Convention 2025 media briefing held November 3, 2025 at a Nairobi hotel.
Andrew Kubo Mlawasi FCCA, CPA(K), PFM and Tax Consultant and Chair of ACCA Public Sector Global Forum, during an exclusive interview at the ACCA Africa Members Convention 2025 media briefing held November 3, 2025. Mlawasi, with over 14 years in public finance management, offered candid insights into why African government systems remain stuck in bureaucratic quicksand while the private sector races ahead.
"Government is not moving fast enough."
That's the stark assessment from Andrew Kubo Mlawasi FCCA, CPA(K), a seasoned public finance management consultant with more than 14 years navigating Kenya's bureaucratic corridors as Chair of ACCA Public Sector Global Forum.
In an exclusive interview, Mlawasi laid bare the systemic paralysis gripping African governments: the stubborn refusal to adopt accruals accounting despite decades of discussion, the glacial pace of procurement automation, and the disconnect between government and citizens on financial transparency.
The 14 Year Stalemate
Kenya has been independent for 60 years, yet accruals accounting remains a perpetual "next year" commitment within government finance ministries.
"We've been talking about adoption of accruals accounting for 14 years plus in the public service. Kenya has been an independent state for the last 60 years, so you can see the time being taken for us to move and adopt certain things."
Andrew Kubo Mlawasi FCCA, CPA(K)
The gap between public and private sectors is staggering. Most blue-chip companies have automated procurement processes, yet government continues to wade through manual systems.
"Why is government playing catch-up? You find the private sector, most of the blue-chip companies have automated their procurement process. But we have to still talk about automation of the procurement process within government."
Andrew Kubo Mlawasi FCCA, CPA(K)
The 2024 Finance Act: A Failure of Citizen Participation
The controversial 2024 Finance Act revealed a deeper crisis not just in accounting systems, but in government accountability and democratic participation.
"What happened with our 2024 finance act really brought a lot of animosity towards the government. But ideally it was all about participation. Did the citizenry feel consulted? Did they feel involved in the process of coming up with this legislation?"
Andrew Kubo Mlawasi FCCA, CPA(K)
For ACCA members across Africa, this represents a call to action: finance professionals must champion transparency and ensure citizens have real involvement in fiscal policymaking.
Why ACCA's Africa Convention Matters Now
The Africa Members Convention (AMC) 2025 arrives at a critical inflection point. Over 1,900 accounting professionals from across the continent will converge at Fairmont the Norfolk, Nairobi, December 3 to 5, to grapple with the issues governments have been unable to solve alone.
Edna Chibole FCCA, MCOM, a finance and organizational systems consultant, emphasized the convention's focus on real world problem solving beyond theoretical debates.
In an exclusive interview, Chibole stressed that ACCA's mandate is action, not just conversation.
"I look forward to having meaningful discussions, not only at the plenary level, but also in the corridors, in the small groups, in the meeting rooms, as we have lunch, where we can sharpen each other, talk about what we are facing in different parts of the country, I mean of Africa, and getting actions."
Edna Chibole FCCA, MCOM
The convention will tackle climate budgeting, AI integration, sustainability reporting, and IPSAS adoption but Chibole made clear the bar is higher: impact.
"The call to action is very important, because we can listen to all the conversations, all the presentations. But then what next? I want to impact one, two people in those three days, challenge them to do things differently, as I'll also be challenged to do things differently."
Edna Chibole FCCA, MCOM
Also Present at the Briefing
Hing Parmar FCCA, CPA(K), Finance Manager; Asad Omar FCCA, Group CFO and Vice Chair of ACCA Kenya Advisory Committee; and Ann Ngugi, Head of Finance at Britam, attended the media briefing.
Convention Agenda: Where Africa's Finance Challenges Meet Solutions
The three day summit will address:
Public sector financial management and transparency reform
AI integration in government operations and financial processes
Sustainability reporting frameworks for African organizations
Climate budgeting and environmental accounting strategies
Entrepreneurship and financial management in emerging markets
Climate resilience and organizational systems
International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) adoption challenges
The Bottom Line
Africa's accounting professionals are tired of perpetual discussions without outcomes. The Africa Members Convention 2025 is betting that when 1,900 finance leaders gather in Nairobi in December, transformation becomes inevitable.
For Mlawasi and Chibole, the stakes couldn't be higher: either African governments modernize their financial systems and engage citizens meaningfully, or they risk continued citizen alienation and institutional paralysis.
About the ACCA Africa Members Convention 2025
Theme: "Leading in a Changed World"
Dates: December 3 to 5, 2025
Venue: Fairmont the Norfolk, Nairobi
Expected Participants: Over 1,900 accounting professionals, policymakers, educators, and government officials from across Africa
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