A political storm has erupted in the Coast region following allegations of nepotism and political patronage in the Kenya Ports Authority's (KPA) recent recruitment exercise at the Port of Mombasa.
Nyali MP Mohamed Ali accused legislators from the region of being allocated job vacancies, which they then allegedly used to secure employment for their children, spouses, and close associates. These claims have sparked a debate about transparency, accountability and political influence in public sector recruitment.
Nyali MP Mohamed Ali accused legislators from the region of being allocated job vacancies during the recent Kenya Ports Authority recruitment drive.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Mr Ali dismissed suggestions that he had personally benefited from the recruitment process, insisting that no slots had been allocated to him. Instead, he alleged that all MPs and women representatives from the six coastal counties of Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, Taita Taveta, Lamu, and Tana River were each given two job opportunities.
“I have not been given any slot to employ anyone because I am regarded as a rebel who disapproves of some of the ill motives perpetrated by the state. Politicians are misleading the public with false information about me. The truth is that I was never given any slot because I have been vocal in criticising government wrongdoings,” Mr Ali said in a video posted on his social media pages.
The legislator, who is allied to the opposition camp led by Wiper Patriotic Front party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and his Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) counterpart Rigathi Gachagua, claimed that 629 people were recruited during the exercise and warned that he was prepared to release the full list of beneficiaries.
“Politicians have remained silent because they benefited, while human rights activists are the only ones speaking out about the port jobs,” he alleged.
Vocal Africa’s executive director Hussein Khalid is among the human rights groups who are also questioning the integrity of the process. The organisation recently moved to court seeking to nullify the recruitment exercise, citing alleged violations of constitutional principles of transparency, fairness and accountability.
Haki Africa Executive Director Hussein Khalid.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Mr Ali, a political lone ranger in the region where a majority of elected leaders are allied to President William Ruto’s broad-based government, challenged politicians to be honest with the public. He threatened to expose names of those who he claims were unfairly recruited through their ties with politicians.
He further claimed that the Rift Valley region benefited the most, with 144 people allegedly securing jobs, while the Western region received 74 slots. According to him, relatives of influential political leaders took up many positions meant for the Coast.
However, Mombasa Woman Representative Zamzam Mohamed dismissed Mr Ali’s claims, insisting that they were not allocated any slots. However, she admitted having proposed people to be considered for the vacancies.
“I want to state clearly that I was not given even a single slot to recruit anyone at the port. It is true we submitted names of young people from Mombasa because they deserve employment opportunities. Even the two [people whose] names I submitted were never employed,” she said.
Kenya Ports Authority workers offload an imported crane.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
The county MP further challenged Mr Ali to tell the people of Mombasa whom exactly he has employed through his positions in Parliament. “We will also release names of people he helped employ as a (parliamentary) commissioner,” she added.
Coast Parliamentary Group (CPG) chairperson and Kilifi County Woman Representative Gertrude Mbeyu defended KPA’s recruitment process as transparent.
She said that the system was done online, minimising human interference.
“How can you influence? The applicant must qualify, apply, go for an interview and pass. If my child is not qualified, how will he or she get the job? This was a transparent process,” Ms Mbeyu said.
“If the applications were physical, you could have seen us taking papers and influencing. But this time it was online. Those who got the jobs are Kenyans with skills and qualifications. This is a good system.”
Ms Mbeyu added that Mr Ali is free to publish names of those recruited. “Even if they are MPs’ children, there is no problem, so long as they applied, went through the process and qualified. We also have children who went to school, and we want them to work. So long as they applied, I see no problem,” she said.
Coast politicians have been pushing to have more locals employed at the port, which is the most important economic asset in the region.
The port supports thousands of jobs directly and indirectly through shipping, logistics, transport, trade and related industries.
Kenya Ports Authority Managing Director William Ruto.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
In a previous interview, KPA Managing Director, Captain William Ruto, said that the parastatal received more than 500,000 applications for about 250 vacancies. He stated that the process was digitised to ensure fairness and transparency.
“We opened an online recruitment process and received over 500,000 applications. Applicants were told to upload all their qualifications. There were also questions sent to the applicants. The system sieved and shortlisted those who met the criteria,” he explained.
