Who will be new ports authority boss? Confusion as Yatani deadline expires

The deadline for the recruitment of the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) managing director lapsed yesterday as the board remained mum over the substantive candidate it had settled on.

In March, Treasury CS Ukur Yatani directed the board to abide by an April 17 deadline for the submission of names for the shortlisted candidate by the KPA board.

Sources have revealed to Sunday Nation that six candidates had been shortlisted for the position, which is currently held by Mr Rashid Salim in an acting capacity.

Among those shortlisted, reports indicate, is former Lamu Port-Sudan-Ethiopia-Transport (Lapsset) chief executive officer Sylvester Kasuku, former Devolution PS Mwanamaka Mabruki and Mr Sudi Mwasinago, who was recently made the ports’ operations general manager, a position that was being held by Captain William Ruto, who was transferred to Kisumu. Others are Mr Justus Nyarandi,  Mr Alex Odero Kazongo and Mr Paul Akanga Siro. Little information is available on Mr Siro.

Mr Kasuku and Ms Mabruki were in the previous list of three shortlisted candidates that was in March rejected by CS Yatani. Mr Kasuku was considered a front-runner in the previous interview.

Last month, CS Yatani directed the KPA board to conduct fresh recruitment for the position, which fell vacant after the resignation of embattled former managing director Daniel Manduku.

In a letter dated March 2, CS Yatani said all the three candidates failed to attain the threshold for the position.

“I have reviewed the list of names, scores and ranking of the candidates proposed for appointment as managing director, Kenya Ports Authority, and note that all the candidates scored below the desired threshold of 70 per cent in the interview,” said CS Yatani.

He added: “Consequently, the Kenya Ports Authority Board is directed to undertake a fresh recruitment of the managing director and conclude the exercise within 45 days from the date of this letter.”

The cancellation of the process meant that the new exercise was to be completed by April 17 and names sent to the CS for consideration.

It was the second time the process was being restarted after the earlier process done in August last year was cancelled by the CS.

In the earlier cancellation, sources indicated there were claims of favouritism and lobbying. Political interference was also cited as a reason for the cancellation.

The first race pitted KPA’s top managers, including Vincent Sidai (general manager, infrastructure development), Yobesh Oyaro (former procurement head) and Abdullahi Samata (former general manager, infrastructure development)

CS Yatani then said that there was need for the exercise to be repeated “to bring more transparency in the process”.

He insisted that the next process would be transparent.

 KPA moved ahead to advertise the position for an individual with “a high degree of integrity and professionalism, impeccable administrative capabilities and strategic orientation”.

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