Hunt for new KPA boss to start afresh

The search for Kenya Kenya Ports Authority’s new managing director is back to the drawing board after earlier interviews were cancelled prematurely early August.

Treasury and Planning Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani told said the process will begin afresh and the new advertisement is expected to be placed in the local dailies in the next few days.

The government cancelled the hiring process after KPA board was reported to have been divided due to politics and favouritism of some applicants, sources close to the job search say.

“There are reports that the acting managing director Rashid Salim has been allowed to be in the office in the next six months, I do not have any information regarding that but what I know we shall repeat the exercise to bring more transparency in the process,” said Mr Yatani.

Speaking at the Port of Mombasa, Mr Yatani noted that the next process would be transparent and that new MD will be recruited.

He said KPA is seeking to recruit an individual with “a high degree of integrity and professionalism, impeccable administrative capabilities and strategic orientation”.

According to sources, the board received more than 150 applicants and only eight were shortlisted to attend interviews at Hazina Towers in Nairobi mid-August but behind-the-scene lobbying was reported to have put the process into a disarray hence its cancellation.

KPA advertised for the position of managing director on April 7 to replace Dr Daniel Manduku, who resigned in March after battling graft allegations for months.

The process was also marred by court petitions majority of which were dismissed for lack of merit. Those who are reported to be in the race to replace Manduku include the authority’s three top managers — Vincent Sidai (general manager – infrastructure development), Yobesh Oyaro (former procurement head) and Abdullahi Samata (former general manager – infrastructure development).