Tally Solutions Kenya head Julius Amara (left), ICPAK CPA Prof. Elizabeth Kalunda and Tally Solutions Africa head Ashutosh Mehrotra during the Tally MSME Honours 2026 awards ceremony at Movenpick hotel, Nairobi on August 21, 2026/LEAH MUKANGAIProfessional accountants have been urged to play a bigger role in helping Kenya’s millions of small businesses improve financial management, access credit and survive beyond their formative years.
ICPAK Board chairperson Elizabeth Kalunda said accountants should move beyond traditional compliance roles and become strategic partners to entrepreneurs seeking to grow sustainable and competitive businesses.
Winners during the Tally MSME Honours 2026 awards at Movenpick hotel, Nairobi on August 23, 2026/LEAH MUKANGAI“What separates businesses that grow from those that stall is rarely luck; it is discipline: the discipline to track what comes in, what goes out, what is owed, and what is owned,” she said.
The event brought together entrepreneurs, business leaders, policymakers and industry stakeholders to celebrate enterprises that have demonstrated innovation, resilience, growth and social impact.
Tally Solutions Africa head Ashutosh Mehrotra, Kenya's Territory head Julius Amara and KASNEB CEO Nicholas Letting, among other guests, were present.
Kalunda said Kenya’s MSME sector remains a major driver of employment and economic activity, noting that the country has more than 7.4 million MSMEs employing nearly 14.9 million people.
However, she said only a fraction of the enterprises are formally licensed, leaving millions operating outside the formal economy.
The ICPAK chairperson said the sector also faces a major financing challenge, with many businesses unable to access credit because of inadequate or unverifiable financial records.
She said accountants could help bridge this gap by ensuring entrepreneurs maintain reliable books, understand their cash flows and produce financial statements that can withstand scrutiny from lenders and investors.
“An accountant is a translator, standing between the entrepreneur and the bank or investor,” Kalunda said.
She highlighted the Unique Document Identification Number (UDIN), introduced by ICPAK, as one of the measures aimed at improving confidence in financial statements prepared by professional accountants.
The system uses a QR code and serial number that enable users to verify audit opinions issued by licensed practitioners.
Kalunda said such measures could strengthen trust between MSMEs and financial institutions by making it easier to establish whether financial information presented by a business is genuine.
She also called on entrepreneurs to strengthen governance and separate personal finances from business accounts.
“Growth without governance is a short story,” she said, urging business owners to establish proper systems, succession plans and compliance structures.
Kalunda further encouraged MSMEs to embrace digital tools to improve recordkeeping and decision-making.
She commended Tally Solutions for providing accessible digital accounting solutions that enable small businesses to maintain real-time and audit-ready records.
“Technology should not replace the accountant’s judgment; it should free it. Let the system handle the recording. Let the accountant handle what the numbers mean,” she said.
The Tally MSME Honours recognise businesses in categories including entrepreneurship, technology adoption, women-led enterprises, youth-led businesses and social impact.
Among those recognised were Blueberry Voyage Limited, Recolte Limited, Deylin Ultimate Springs and Electroplanet Home Appliances and Electronics under the Business Maestro category.
The Wonder Woman category recognised women-led enterprises, including Ilonito Designer Collections, Emerald Hues Limited, Daynix Enterprises and Agri-Aqua Trail Women and Youth Innovators.
New-generation entrepreneurs Samuel Mwangi of Kiy Toys Limited and Emmanuel Obuya of Mediacrest Training College were recognised under the Newgen Icon category.
Qareen International Investment Limited, BigBrainz Solutions Limited and Boafo Solutions were honoured as Tech Transformers for leveraging technology to improve efficiency and expand their businesses.
The Champion of Cause category recognised purpose-driven enterprises, including Acosein Global Eco-Health-Tech and Sunflower Events (K) Ltd.
Speaking during the event, Mehrotra said the MSME honours provide an important platform to recognise entrepreneurs whose resilience, innovation and ability to adapt continue to drive Kenya’s economy.
“The Tally MSME Honours are about celebrating the entrepreneurs who are creating jobs, solving problems and building businesses despite the challenges they face. Their stories demonstrate what is possible when innovation, determination and the right business tools come together,” Mehrotra said.
On his part, Amara said the awards were intended to shine a spotlight on businesses that are making a difference across different sectors while encouraging other entrepreneurs to learn from their success.
“Every business recognised tonight represents a story of resilience, innovation and growth. We want to celebrate these entrepreneurs and also inspire thousands of other MSMEs to believe that they too can build sustainable and successful enterprises,” Amara said.
Amara said the honours also provided an opportunity to demonstrate the importance of proper financial records and technology in building businesses that can grow and attract investment.
Kalunda added that the success stories celebrated at the awards demonstrated that discipline, trusted financial advice and technology could transform small enterprises into sustainable businesses.
She urged accountants to continue supporting MSMEs as key players in Kenya’s economic future.
Kalunda also challenged policymakers and regulators to create an environment where formalisation becomes easier and more attractive for entrepreneurs.
