President William Ruto’s government has embarked on a major restructuring of management at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), one of the country’s most profitable state-owned enterprises.
The shakeup, which is already causing fear among top KPA staff, is expected to result in significant personnel changes in the coming days.
Transport and Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen on Friday revoked the appointments of five members of the KPA board, replacing them with new appointees.
The changes come just days after Murkomen annulled the appointment of Gen (Rtd) Joseph Kibwana as KPA board Chairman, replacing him with former Kinango MP Benjamin Tayari.
The new board members, who will serve for a period of three years effective January 23, 2023, are Musa Osman, Emmanuel Kibet, Consolata Lusweti, Lucas Maitha and Caroline Njoki Maina.
The previous appointments of Lydia Yator, Stephen Gichuhi Gichohi, Conrad Thorpe, Farida Abdalla Sud, and Nilfat Kassim Ali have been revoked, according to a Gazette notice.
Under the new leadership, the KPA board will be responsible for conducting interviews for a new managing director after a shortlisting process was concluded last Friday.
The KPA has been without a substantive CEO since 2020, following the controversial exit of Daniel Manduku, who had a pending court case at the time.
Efforts to hire a new managing director since the resignation of Dr. Manduku in March 2020 have been marred by claims of bias, intimidation, and political interference.
Former diplomat John Mwangemi has been serving as the acting MD since July 2021.
The KPA, which operates the Mombasa and Lamu ports, plays a critical role in the economies of Kenya and other countries in the region.
The organization is highly profitable, having generated up to Sh15 billion in after-tax profit in the 2018/19 financial year.
