has designated companies whose debt or equity instruments are traded in a public market or are in the process of issuing such instruments for trading in a public market; banks and building societies; savings and credit unions including SACCOs; insurance companies; retirement benefit schemes; state owned entities including state funded parastatals; mutual funds; investment banks; and stock brokers as publicly accountable and therefore cannot use IFRS for SMEs as a framework for external reporting. All other entities not listed above and preparing general purpose financial statements for external users may opt whether to comply with full IFRS or IFRS for SMEs.