Recruitment of KPA boss set to take longer, says Transport CS

Kenyans will have to wait a little longer for a new Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) managing director after the government said the process will not be hurried.

Speaking on Friday in Mombasa, Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said the recruitment of the MD will be carried out by an independent consultant.

The CS addressed journalists at Pride Inn Hotel in Shanzu after opening the Architectural Association of Kenya 2018 convention and insisted that the position is crucial and should not be hurriedly filled.

Recently, the KPA board extended the stay of the current acting MD Daniel Manduku for another four months pending a competitive recruitment.

Dr Manduku has been praised for transforming the port which has seen improved efficiency since he was appointed nearly three months ago.

The CS said an independent consultancy firm will be contracted to conduct the recruitment.

“It is not long, we only have two or three months. Again, this is a key position we cannot rush. The board has been briefed and they will be placing an advert for the consultant to avoid any suspicion,” he said.

Mr Macharia said the advertisement is expected in the next two weeks and thereafter, the government will fast-track the recruitment, so that the agency gets the best in terms of managing the organisation.

“This is one of the top three key strategic installations of government ranged in the same class with Kenya Airports Authority and Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA). We have to make sure that KPA gets the best person to carry out its development and expansion programmes. When we do, we shall be assured of the success of this port which is critical to our future as a country,” the CS said.

When KPA announced the extension of Dr Manduku’s term, it said the move was taken because of his impressive record at the port since he took over in May.

Dr Manduku, a former CEO of the National Construction Authority, was appointed to the position after the ouster of Catherine Wairi on May 30.

His initial two-month contract lapsed on July 31, but the extension will now keep him at the busy parastatal up to November 30.

In a recent interview with the Nation, Dr Manduku said the port generated Sh50 billion for KRA in July, the highest in the history of KPA.

He said the port of Mombasa plans to increase the number of containers it handles to two million twenty-foot equipment units (TEUs) by 2022.

Last year, the port handled 1.2 million TEUs and targets 1.3 million this year.

“The increase in volume of cargo at East Africa’s biggest port will result in a rise in revenue from Sh50 billion netted in July alone to about Sh100 billion monthly,” Dr Manduku said in an interview.