The frequent management changes at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) do not augur well for an organisation that is expected to play a pivotal role in the country’s and the region’s vital import-export trade. In a span of just about two years, there have been two CEOs and a third one is now acting.
Slightly over a year since Dr Daniel Manduku was appointed the KPA managing director, his tenure has abruptly come to an end following serious graft allegations. His predecessor was axed by the board for alleged lack of effective leadership.
It simply means that this key organisation has been denied the stability that would have enabled it to efficiently discharge its responsibility. This game of musical chairs indicates that KPA could be a casualty of some vested interests keen to control the management of the port.
In the past, there has been an attempt to politicise the issue of the management of this national asset, with some coastal leaders pushing for someone from the region to be picked to run KPA instead of prioritising merit. Of course, this does not hold water and has been dismissed with the contempt that it deserves.
KPA is a national asset that must be properly managed to enable the efficient handling of exports and imports to generate substantive revenue and boost the national economy.
The port is a major source of employment for Kenyans and business for the enterprises involved in cargo handling and other services. Unless it is run efficiently, the potential return on the huge investment in the development of port infrastructure will not be realised. The Mombasa port’s strategic importance must be enhanced through increased efficiency.
It is because of this that a competent chief executive should be chosen and given sufficient time to implement meaningful programmes.
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