The APSEA Constitution designates the Council as the highest decision making organ of the Association. The Council is made up of a representative from each of the Corporate Member of APSEA; the Executive Committee; convenors of committees of the Council and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Kenya Professionals Development Fund. The Council meets quarterly and gives general policy guidelines for the operations of the Association.

The Executive Committee is elected by the APSEA Council and their responsibility is to oversee the operations of the Association. The Executive Committee currently has 7 members and co-opts Convenors of the Committees who are appointed to advise and assist in carrying out the mandate of the various committees and a resource person into the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee meets every two months.

PREAMBLE

APSEA strategic plan (2017 - 2021) identifies Committees as crucial organs that will steer the Association to greater heights. Activities of the Association are expected to be committee-centered and require tapping into the expertise and knowledge of volunteer members

APSEA has thematically been organized into three committees namely:

1. Professional Resource Centre Committee (PRCC)
2. Marketing, Business Development and Capacity Building Committee (MBCC)
3. Public Affairs, Governance and Legislation Committee (PGLC)

Beyond the above, we also have the Kenya Professionals’ Development Fund (KPDF).

Though membership to these committees is voluntary and do not attract any form of monetary payment for serving in the committees, they afford members greater opportunities to contribute to the national agenda and to advance the interests of professional bodies, as well as provide an interaction platform for professionals from diverse disciplines and growth of the professions under APSEA. Committee meetings are held at least once every two months except when there are urgent matters that require members’ immediate attention.

APSEA COMMITTEES

According to the constitution, APSEA Executive Committee consists of 

1. 1. 1. Chairperson
      2. The First Vice Chairperson
      3. The Second Vice Chairperson
      4. The Honorary Secretary
      5. The Honorary Treasurer
      6. The Assistant Secretary
      7. The Assistant Treasurer

The constitution under article 12 states as below.as quoted

“12. COMMITTEES

1. The Council may at any time appoint one or more Committees, consisting of such private members as it may consider fit, to advise and assist the Council in the performance of its functions.
2. The Council may at its discretion vary the mandate and membership of such Committees.
3. The Council may at any time discharge the Committees from their functions, but until so discharged, the Committees shall continue in existence notwithstanding changes in the membership of the Council.
4. The convener of a Committee shall hold office until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Association or until he:-
   1. Ceases to be a private member of the Association;
   2. Resigns,
   3. Or is unable to perform the functions of his office.
5. The Council may in its by-laws prescribe the procedures and the conduct of the business of the committees.

Previously, the APSEA Executive has co-opted Committee conveners to sit in Executive meetings for operational and administrative purpose.

The Chairman has the authority to merge the functions of committees and streamline operations as he deems fit. However, it was decided that the members of Executive Committee should not be more than fifteen.

APSEA CHAIRMAN’S FOCUS AREAS

1. Collaboration with state and non-state actors
2. Involvement in matters of National Importance
3. Expansion of APSEA Membership
4. Legislative Agenda for members

OBJECTIVES OF NEW COMMITTEES.

The Executive Committee approved formation of three committees as below: -

1.  PROFESSIONAL RESOURCE CENTRE COMMITTEE (PRCC)

CONVENER: - MR. LEONID ASHINDU

The committee objectives: ­-

1. Developing and maintaining a professional resource Centre.
2. Management and maintenance of professional Centre building.
3. Promoting and maintenance of the internal capacity of the APSEA secretariat.

To achieve the stated objectives, the committee has to undertake the following activities: ­

1. Providing and enhancing library services
2. Ensuring the viability of the Professional Centre and in particular revising rents and hire charges and rehabilitation of the Professional Centre.
3. Ensuring the secretariat is managed by dedicated and qualified personnel.
4. Creating a modern management information system for APSEA and in particular to install computer-based management information system (MIS).
5. Regulate and control the whole of the finances and accounts of the Association.
6. Co-ordinate the financial and accounting methods among all the committees and organs of the Association.
7. Keeping of proper books of accounts
8. Preparation of annual financial statements
9. Co-coordinating budgets from committees
10. Control of expenditure and authorizing payments
11. Review of members subscriptions and reporting to the Council
12. Advising the Council on sources and utilization of funds.
13. Management of the Secretariat including staff.
14. Responsible for the implementation of the APSEA strategic plan

2. MARKETING, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND CAPACITY BUILDING COMMITTEE (MBCC)

CONVENER: - MR. LEONARD ALOO

The following are the committee objectives: ­-

1.  Promoting the highest standards of professionalism among members.
2.  Supporting the development of relevant and responsive National education system.
3. Promoting opportunities for membership services locally, regionally and internationally.
4. Developing support services for members
5. Increase Membership in APSEA

In order to achieve the stated objectives, the committee will undertake the following activities: ­-

1. Developing guidelines and promoting CPD programs among members.
2. Organizing CPD programs for general membership and encouraging member associations to become involved in curriculum development of professional education.
3. Promoting research and development through collaborative arrangement with research institutions.
4. Establishment of a research fund.
5. Publication of an APSEA Newsletter
6. Development and ensuring compliance with the code of ethics
7. Building a positive image of APSEA regionally, nationally and internationally
8. Increase Membership in APSEA
9. Development of recognition achievement award scheme.
10. Creating local opportunities for professional services and in particular lobbying for consultancy work for local professionals and supporting entrepreneurship opportunities among members.
11. Creating local capacity for professional services, which will include developing programs for capacity building and carrying out a competence needs assessment among professionals.
12. Promoting export of professional services and in this regard participating in regional and international exhibitions and fairs.
13. Encouragement of networking among professionals locally, internationally, and in particular to network with other professional centers and associations.
14. Promotion of regional integration of professional services and in this regard to harmonize standards of training and practice.
15. Creating a data bank of professional opportunities.
16. Developing directory of professionals and their services.
17. Developing services beneficial to members and in particular, to create insurance related benevolent fund for members, credit and discount schemes, professional pension scheme and preferential insurance for members.

3. PUBLIC AFFAIRS, GOVERNANCE AND LEGISLATION COMMITTEE (PGLC)

 CONVENER: - MR HILLARY ONAMI

The key objectives of the committee is to:

1. Address the concerns surrounding professional integrity and ethics in professionalism.
2. Providing leadership in professional matters affecting the public.
3. Encouraging the practice of good governance at social, political and economic levels.
4. Mentor and lobby parliament, Government and other stakeholders in respect of legislation.

In order to successfully achieve these objectives, the Committee carries out the following activities;

1. Assess, address and monitor cases when professional integrity and ethics have been compromised
2. Carry out activities that facilitate the cultivation of professionalism in member associations such as professional sectoral workshops and seminars and such like activities; lobbying, informative and mentorship
3. Facilitate the development and implementation of codes of conduct in APSEA and its corporate members and ensuring compliance with the code of ethics
4. Consulting with member associations seeking to know the legal framework and codes of conduct as well as the enforceability or otherwise of the same.
5. Addressing the possible hindrances to efficient professional delivery.
6. Supporting member Associations in matters of public interest and in this regard lobbying on public issues affecting members and promoting amendments of laws to ensure self-regulation in the professional Associations.
7. Creating capacity to pro-act and respond to public issues from a professional perspective and in particular to create forums for discussion on issues of public interest and lobbying for inclusion of professionals in public institutions including parliament.
8. Recognition of achievement that promote public interest and in particular promoting achievement awards that enhance excellence.
9. Developing good governance criteria for use nationally and in this regard to organize code of conduct workshops nationally.
10. Lobbying for the creation of the office of ombudsman and for this reason the committee will develop the terms of reference for the office and promote the idea among the national stakeholders.

POINTS TO NOTE

1. All these committees will attract Programs, Partnerships and collaborations from different stakeholders.
2. They are also mandated to propose programs or any matters that need to be handled and direct them to the committees as necessary.
3. Members of Secretariat to service the Committees.
4. Each Committee consists of not more than 10 members.
5. Members of committees are from APSEA associations.
6. Committee conveners are free to choose deputy conveners in their first meetings. However only Conveners are executively appointed and sit in Executive Committee.
7. Executive Meetings are held quarterly and one of the main agenda in the meetings is reports by conveners.
8. Committee meetings are held monthly or fortnightly or twice a quarter as determined by workload and committee programs.

In addition, the Association also has the Kenya Professional Development Fund (KPDF) under Trustees to promote the development of professionals and professionalism through selected interventions and activities that target young professionals and the youth in general.

The following are the functions of KPDF:

1. To promote the growth and development of professional education training in Kenya and the East Africa Region.
2. To promote encourage or otherwise support the adoption and application of best practices in professional conduct standards and ethics.
3. To support and provide funds for strengthening professional values, ethics and integrity among professionals.
4. To support the strengthening of professional disciplinary mechanisms and their enforcement.
5. To support and undertake training and capacity building activities as may be found appropriate from time to time.
6. To sponsor any activities, studies, undertakings, promotions and implementation of programs which help any or all of the above activities.
7. To raise funds and other resources from all acceptable sources and to set up the fund as an endowment fund to secure the cause and sustainability of the fund.
8. Identify and engage strategic partners who can contribute to the Fund.
9. Write appropriate proposals.
10. Establish secretariat for the Fund.
11. Solicit for proposals from beneficiaries of the Fund.
12. Increase the Investment Portfolio.

The day to day activities of the Association are run by a team of qualified and competent persons who primarily implement the decisions of the Executive Committee. The Secretariat is composed of the Executive Officer, we have Officers in charge of Programs, Accounts, Operations and, Office functions.

Anne Gumbi Executive Officer	Rhoda Kingoo Accounting Officer	Rodney Lulu Administrative Assistant, KPDF	Shelly Mwirichia Operations Officer

Joseph Ndung’u Operations Assistant	Grace Wambui Support Staff	John Odhiambo Support Staff