Customers at a Posta branch in Kenya. The firm’s board said that Enock Kinara, the general manager for financial services, would be the acting postmaster-general and will call for applications from those interested in the company’s top job. Photo/File
The Postal Corporation of Kenya (PCK) on Monday picked the head of its financial services division to act as chief executive — bringing to an end the tenure of former police commissioner Hussein Ali as postmaster-general.
The firm’s board said that Enock Kinara, the general manager for financial services, would be the acting postmaster-general and will call for applications from those interested in the company’s top job.
Dr Kinara, who holds a doctorate in business administration from the Washington International University, has been working at the postal unit since 1985 when he was hired as a management trainee for the defunct Kenya Posts and Telecommunication Corporation.
“The board today (Monday) in the afternoon picked Dr Kinara who is the longest serving employee at the corporation due to his extensive knowledge in the sector,” said Bitange Ndemo, the Information permanent secretary.
Mr Ali was appointed postmaster-general in September 2009, taking over from Fred Odhiambo.
The parastatal’s board in March concluded that Mr Ali had failed to meet the threshold of 70 per cent needed to retain him at the helm of PCK. He scored 52 per cent and the board asked Mr Poghisio to retire him and start the process of hiring a new CEO.
The verdict came despite Mr Ali having in mid-March asked the board to extend his contract for another three years.
READ: Posta board tells minister to sack Hussein Ali His tenure at the police department was tarnished after he was named among the six post-election violence suspects by International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo for crimes against humanity. The crimes were linked to the disputed 2007.
The ICC pre-trial chamber ruled in January that there was insufficient evidence against him.
Mr Poghisio’s decision to follow the PCK board’s advice is expected to bring to and the era of political appointments to head the corporation.
Dr Kinara steps in at a moment when the use of technology such as e-mail and mobile money transfer has continued to threaten its core business of snail mail.
A US consulting firm, IBM, recommended vigorous restructuring at the postal corporation with an aim of getting on board a “younger, energetic talent” to drive the agency in a competitive market. It said PCK should also tap into new business opportunities such as offering government and banking agency services to boost its earnings.
