Shortlisting of next Kenya Ports Authority boss set to begin
The Kenya Ports Authority acting managing director John Mwangemi (left) hands over the key of the 29-metre long MV Pate tugboat which docked at the Port of Mombasa from Turkey to Captain Geofrey Namadoa on September 6, 2022. The search for a new managing director for KPA is currently ongoing.
The search for the next Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Managing Director enters a critical stage next week after the recruitment ended yesterday.
Stakeholders are lobbying for an individual with experience in port management, maritime, shipping and logistics.
Starting next week, the authority’s board is expected to start conducting interviews to pick the MD and conclude the shortlisting process.
Acting MD John Mwangemi, a former diplomat, has confirmed that he will not be in contention for the position he has held since July 2021.
Top occupants of the premier parastatal have in the recent past exited in quick succession, with at least four bosses being sacked after serving for barely two years.
“KPA is seeking to recruit an individual with a high degree of integrity and professionalism, impeccable administrative capabilities and strategic orientation to fill the position of Managing Director,” reads the job advertisement sent out on December 23.
The parastatal has not had a substantive head since the year 2020 when Daniel Manduku exited under a cloud of controversy. He had a pending court case.
Yesterday, stakeholders drawn from different sectors said that the exercise should not be politicised and that due process should be followed to ensure KPA gets a deserving boss.
Kenya International Freight and Warehouse Association (Kifwa) chairperson Roy Mwanthi said that to make the port efficient, the government should pick only those with experience in port and logistics management.
The Kifwa boss said that processes in the current port facilities in Kenya should be made more efficient to attract more business and compete with other ports in the region.
Maritime background
Mr Andrew Mwangura, a marine expert, said history has shown that previous MDs who excelled in their roles all had a background in maritime processes.
“We have had some MDs before such as P.J Mwangola, Brown Ondego and Jonathan Mturi who performed well and completed their terms since they were conversant with port operations,” said Mr Mwangura.
While advertising for the position, KPA had asked those interested in the position of Accounting Officer to have a Master’s degree in port management, maritime, shipping and logistics, engineering, business, social sciences, public policy, science and technology.
Candidates must also have a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, and 15 years of experience in port management.
This is the fourth time in three years that the government is looking to fill this position. In slightly over a decade, four senior officials who have held the position have either resigned or been fired.
According to the notice by KPA chairman Joseph Kibwana, the successful candidate is expected to manage different KPA ports including Mombasa, Lamu, Kisumu and Nairobi ports, and the Naivasha Inland Container Depot.
In July 2021, KPA appointed the current acting MD Mr Mwangemi who took over from Eng Rashid Salim who had been in the same position since the exit of Dr Manduku.
Since the resignation of Dr Manduku in March 2020, efforts to hire a new CEO have been marred by intrigues, including claims of biases, intimidation, political influence, boardroom wrangles and fraud.
In the past 10 years, the KPA top office has seen its occupants exit in quick succession with at least four bosses being sacked, barely serving two years with about 16 people holding the same position since the establishment of Port in 1976.
Of the 16, only four MDs managed to complete their terms without being sacked or resigning; they include John Mturi - father of Catherine Mturi-Wairi who came before Dr Manduku; Philip Okundi, Brown Ondego and John Gituma.
