Roads, Transport and Public Works Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen ordered the new Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) board members to recruit a new managing director by April 1.
Speaking at the KPA headquarters on Monday, February 13, Murkomen issued a one-week window to the board to go through all the applications made for the position.
Additionally, he stated that after the one week, the board was required to issue a notice for the shortlisted candidates and begin the interview process.
The CS warned the board members against political or external interference during the recruitment exercise adding that the process ought to be competitive and transparent.
“My ministry will ensure a smooth transition and the board should move swiftly and kick off the process and present me with the nominated list for approval,” Murkomen stated.
Murkomen promised not to interfere with their work or issue any orders out of the law and urged the board members to work together to improve port efficiency.
Moreover, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the structure of KPA revealing that the Ministry would begin the necessary processes to align functions in the near future and make the port more competitive.
"There is a need to review the KPA Act and present it to Parliament for approval in order to improve services while also aligning it with the current KPA strategic plan," Murkomen explained.
Additionally, he rejected demands by the Mombasa county government to share Port revenue with KPA stating that it would be against the law.
On Friday, January 20, Murkomen announced the appointment of Musa Osman, Emmanuel Kibet, Caroline Njoki Maina, Consolata Lusweti, and Lucas Maitha to serve as KPA board members for a period of three years.
The Authority had been in the spotlight because of integrity issues including the arrest of its former managing director Daniel Manduku in August 2022, over the misappropriation of Ksh244 million.
Moreover, the Office of the Auditor General had previously questioned the Authority’s spending after revealing that it owed its creditors over Ksh11.6 billion in 2022.
