Accountant Generals from fifteen countries that form the Eastern and Southern African Association of Accountants General (ESAAG) are in Kigali for the 29th annual meeting that aims to promote accountability and transparency in Public Financial Management (PFM). During the three-day conference, the accountant generals are set to discuss practical challenges and solutions related to PFM. ESAAG was officially formed in 1995 as a regional association bringing together Accountants General. It is currently composed of 15 Member States namely; Botswana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is expected to transform into a Pan- African body that will support the Agenda 2063. Rwanda is hosting the ESSAG conference for the second time, having hosted the 16th Annual General meeting in February 2009. According to Marcel Mukeshimana, Accountant General of Rwanda in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN) and former Chairperson of ESAAG, when Rwanda hosted the meeting in 2009, the country didn’t have professional accountants or any institute to train them, adding that preparing accounting books was a stumbling block that led to numerous mistakes. He said that after sixteen years, the country has tremendously improved where all PFM processes for central government and decentralized entities are automated from Planning to budget preparation, procurement; cash management; payment, resources mobilization, accounting and reporting as well as internal audit processes. He revealed that in 2009, only 2 per cent of government institutions would make accurate accounting reports while today around 60 per cent can do. According to him, following the establishment of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Rwanda (ICPAR), 300 professional accountants have been trained and are currently working in public institutions while only three were present in 2009. Mukeshimana said that among the challenges ESAAG faces, low level of professionalism and capacity of different accountants is still on top, adding that with the African Professionalization Initiative and presence of political will of every member country, the gap will be successfully addressed. ESAAG seeks to expand from 15 countries to all 54 African countries hence transitioning to the African Association of Accountant General by June 2022. Hlompho Matsoso, the new Chairperson of ESAAG said the accounting fraternity in Africa is critically small to offer assistance regarding proper management of finances in public institutions. She noted that a lot of resources have been taken from Africans and hence it is time to reclaim what they have and stop exporting skills from all over but instead share them among themselves. She said that with the continental body supported by the African Union, they wish to have a big impact, and are planning to strengthen the association by building good relationships with the continental body’s Secretariat and implement strategies that make a good impact to every member state. Kennedy Musonda, Accountant General of Zambia said that the country is excited to host the Secretariat of the African Association of Accountant General to be established in June. He said that Africans can expect a uniform way of accounting public sector resources with the body spearheading the reforms in the public sector financial management for all African countries. According to him, Zambia will provide the body with office space and land in the long-term where it will be able to set up its structures. The theme of the 29th ESAAG Annual General Meeting “Laying of the foundation for accountability and transparency in public financial management for Africa we want”, underscores the importance it attaches to Agenda 2063, which calls to action the African Society to work together to build a prosperous and united Africa based on shared values and a common destiny. Hlompho Matsoso. Marcel Mukeshimana.
