What meeting minutes are — and how to keep them properly
Meeting minutes are the official written record of what happened at a meeting: who attended, what was discussed, what was decided, and who is to do what next. They are the memory of the organisation — the document you rely on when someone asks “what did we agree?” months later.
For a Kenyan company or organisation, minutes matter beyond good order. They evidence that decisions were properly taken, which lenders, auditors, the registrar and even courts may want to see. For registered companies, keeping minutes of directors’ and members’ meetings is expected under the Companies Act, 2015 — and for SACCOs, NGOs and chamas, minutes are the backbone of accountability.
Good minutes are concise and factual, not a transcript. They record attendance and apologies, summarise each item and the decision reached, capture resolutions and action points (with who and by when), and note the next meeting. They are confirmed and signed at the following meeting, usually by the chairperson and secretary.
What good minutes include
- ◆The type of meeting, the date, time and venue
- ◆Who was present, and apologies received
- ◆A brief record of each item discussed and the decision taken
- ◆Resolutions passed, stated clearly
- ◆Action points — what, who, and by when
- ◆The next meeting date, and space for the chairperson and secretary to sign
Common mistakes to avoid
- ✕Writing a transcript instead of concise decisions and actions
- ✕Not recording who is responsible for each action, or the deadline
- ✕Leaving out apologies or the quorum, which can affect validity
- ✕Never confirming or signing them, so they carry no weight later
Questions
Are minutes a legal requirement in Kenya?
For registered companies, keeping minutes of board and general meetings is expected under the Companies Act, 2015, and they must be retained. For SACCOs, NGOs, welfare groups and chamas, minutes are essential for accountability and are routinely required by banks and regulators.
Who writes and who signs the minutes?
Usually the secretary records them, and the chairperson and secretary sign them once confirmed as accurate — normally at the start of the next meeting, where they are formally adopted.
How detailed should minutes be?
Concise. Record decisions, resolutions and actions, not every word spoken. A reader who wasn’t there should understand what was decided and what happens next, in a page or two.
What’s the difference between minutes and a resolution?
Minutes are the full record of a meeting; a resolution is the formal statement of a specific decision, often extracted from the minutes for a bank or third party. You keep minutes and issue resolutions from them as needed.
Can minutes be used as evidence?
Yes. Confirmed, signed minutes are strong evidence of what an organisation decided, and are commonly relied on by auditors, lenders and courts. That is exactly why keeping them properly matters.
This tool is free to write and preview, with an editable draft on your letterhead. Downloading a clean PDF without the small watermark is KES 100 in Kenya (a one-off) and free elsewhere. It is a template, not legal advice; for anything with legal weight, have it reviewed before you rely on it.