Transport CS Murkomen ousts KPA board chair, picks former MP
Deputy President William Ruto with Kinango MP Benjamin Tayari at Kinango Primary School, Kwale County for the launch of the new Bible translation in Duruma language on November 27, 2021. FILE PHOTO | POOL
Former Kinango Member of Parliament Benjamin Tayari has been picked to chair the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) board, replacing Gen (Rtd) Joseph Kibwana, whose reappointment was revoked by Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
In a Gazette notice Friday, Mr Murkomen said Mr Tayari’s three-year term takes effect immediately.
“In exercise of the powers conferred...the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport appoints Benjamin Dalu Tayari to be the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Kenya Ports Authority, for a period of three (3) years, with effect from the 13th January 2023,” the notice reads.
Mr Tayari, an ally of President William Ruto, lost his parliamentary re-election bid under the President's party UDA in August last year to his predecessor Samuel Gonzi Rai, who made a comeback through the Pamoja African Alliance party.
Mr Tayari served as Kinango MP for one term, from 2017 to 2022, under an ODM ticket.
He had been shortlisted during the appointments of the 51 principal secretaries but did not make it to the final list.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Nairobi and a Diploma in Clearing, Warehousing and Practical Freight forwarding from Bandari College in Mombasa.
Search for KPA MD
Mr Tayari is expected to lead the KPA board in conducting interviews for a new managing director after shortlisting was concluded on Friday.
KPA has been without a substantive MD since 2020 after the controversial exit of Daniel Manduku, who at the time had a pending court case.
Engineer Rashid Salim then took over in an acting capacity before being replaced by Ambassador John Mwangemi in a similar role.
Since the resignation of Dr Manduku in March 2020, efforts to hire a new CEO have been marred by intrigues, including claims of biases, intimidation, political influence, boardroom wrangles and fraud.
Treasury appointments
In the same Gazette notice, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Professor Njuguna Ndung’u replaced five Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) board members, naming others to their position.
“The appointment of Susan Mudhune, Mukesh Shah, Amb Richard Opembe, Leonard Ithau (Eng) and Charles Makori Omanga is revoked,” CS Ndung’u said.
Darshan Shah, Wilkister Simiyu, Fancy Too, Michael Kamau Kamiru and Samir Ibrahim have replaced them.
Prof Ndung’u also appointed former Salaries and Remuneration Commission chairperson Sarah Serem to chair the Kenya Post Office Savings Bank board.
