Confusion at KPA over recruitment of new MD

Digital Taxi Forum Secretary-General Wycliffe Alutalala (right) alongside industry players, bringing together drivers and partners operating the online digital platforms during a press conference on Monday, April 12, 2021 [David Njaaga, Standard]

The recruitment of a managing director for the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) has been dogged by one issue after the other.

According to a letter from Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani the process was to end today.

However, yesterday the KPA board said the 45-day deadline issued by Yattani did not include weekends and holidays. In the letter, Yatani did not specify whether weekends and holidays were excluded.

Board chairman Joseph Kibwana insisted his board still has one more week to complete the process.

Some of the applicants who spoke to The Standard wondered whether the board had conducted the interviews and demanded that it releases the names of the shortlisted candidates.

Sources at KPA said the board had not completed the process and could only release the names once the exercise is complete and the three names are forwarded to the CS.

Working days

“The deadline is not today but next week because the public holidays and weekends are not counted as they are not working days,” said Kibwana.

Last week, he said six candidates out of 70 applicants had been shortlisted for the position. 

The six seeking to occupy the seat that has been vacant since March last year following the resignation of Daniel Manduku are expected to face the board once the process is complete.

Kibwana said interviews for the shortlisted candidates will start this week and the board has 45 days to complete the hiring.

On March 2, Yatani rejected three names the board had forwarded to him, saying the candidates did not attain the mandatory 70 marks and above in the interviews.

Yatani ordered the board to start the recruitment afresh and finalise it in 45 days.

Yesterday, Kibwana said the board will be ready with the three names to be handed over to Yatani next week.