HR professionals in fresh vetting to weed out fakes

Tuesday, August 04, 2015 — updated on December 23, 2020 - 2 min read

Institute of Human Resource Management chairman Paul Kasimu (left) during the unveiling of new rules for the industry on August 4, 2015 at Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi. The rules seek to improve professionalism by streamlining recruitment of HR managers, disciplining errant members and ensuring a strict membership code of conduct. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU

What you need to know:

Regulations provide for the formation of a committee to register members, an examination body and a disciplinary committee that will strike off errant members from its roll.

Human resource professionals will be vetted afresh in order to continue offering their services in efforts to weed out fakes, the sector’s regulatory body has said.

The Institute of Human Resources Management (IHRM) Tuesday said that the professionals will need to have a certificate from an examination board in line with the regulations published last month.

“We seek to raise the credibility of this profession and rid it of 'masqueraders',” IHRM council chairman Paul Kasimu told a press briefing in Nairobi, adding that the vetting will begin with those in Nairobi.

He said that human resources managers will have to adhere to the published code of conduct – a touchstone of their practice when recruiting staff, nurturing talent and applying disciplinary measures.

The regulations provide for the formation of a committee to register members, an examination body and a disciplinary committee that will strike off errant members from its roll.

“We want HR to move beyond hiring and firing to driving business growth through talent management,” said Mr Kasimu, who is also East African Breweries' (EABL) Group human resource director.

The IHRM was established under the Human Resource Management Professionals Act 2012 as the regulatory body for human resources professionals in the country.

However, a lack of regulations had hampered efforts to operationalise the law partly due to a court dispute over the composition of the interim council.

Election for new council members will be held by December.