Kenya Maritime Authority denies nepotism, mismanagement claims

MOMBASA, KENYA: The Kenya Maritime Authority has denied claims the state organization is chocking in corruption, mismanagement, nepotism and gross mismanagement, 48 hours after a picket by civil society activists on the agency's Mombasa office.

A statement signed by the Acting Director General (DG) Cosmas Cherop, the acting DG distanced the board of management from claims of flawed tendering saying all tenders at the Authority were handled in accordance to the law.

"All tenders at the Kenya Maritime Authority are handled prudently according to the Public Procurement and Assets Disposal Act of 2015. In cases of complaints, the law requires petitioners who participated in the said tenders to write or lodge complaints officially to the Kenya Maritime Authority," read part of the statement.

Cherop said unsatisfied parties were free to lodge complaints to the Public Procurement Oversight Authority or the Public Procurement Review Board which were mandated to handle issues surrounding tendering.

On Monday, a group of civil societies and youth leaders picketed at KMA headquarters calling for immediate disbandment of KMA board over corruption flawed tendering, nepotism in hiring of staff and gross abuse of public office.

Genesis for Human Rights Commission Programme Officer Caleb Ngwena who led the picketers had claimed there were plans by board members to employ relatives to fill 17 positions including those of coxswains, boat technicians, supervisors and deckhands.

Mr Cherop further refuted claims of favoritism in recruitment of staff saying recruitment at the state agency was guided by the core values of transparency, integrity accountability, professionalism and the law.
On Monday Principal Secretary in charge of shipping and Maritime Affairs Nancy Karigithu admitted the Ministry had received complaints which saw the Ministry Commission an audit.