•All the candidates scored below the desired threshold of 70 per cent in the interview, National Treasury CS Ukur Yatani said.
•KPA first advertised for the position on April 7, 2020, to replace former MD Daniel Manduku, who resigned March 26, last year after battling graft allegations for months.
The Kenya Ports Authority(KPA) has re-advertised the managing director's position, two days after the National Treasury Cabinet secretary Ukur Yatani rejected the final list forwarded to him.
Yatani on Tuesday rejected the names of those shortlisted for the KPA Managing Director's position, sending the board to a third round of searching for a substantial boss for the key state agency.
I have reviewed the list of the names, scores and ranking of the candidates proposed for the appointment as Managing Director, Kenya Ports Authority, and note that all the candidates scored below the desired threshold of 70 per cent in the interviewNational Treasury CS UKur Yatani
KPA first advertised for the position on April 7, 2020, to replace former MD Daniel Manduku, who resigned on March 26, last year after battling graft allegations for months.
The recruitment was however canceled in August on claims of favouritism and political interference.
The process was marred by court petitions majority of which were dismissed for lack of merit, paving the way for a second search.
The KPA top office has seen its occupants exit in quick succession.
The authority has had two managing directors in the past five years, with non serving a full three-year renewable term.
In slightly over 11 years, four managing directors of the parastatal have been fired, with the high turnover rate proving that not even the breeze from the Indian Ocean can cool the 'hot seat' at the corner office by the ocean.
The first woman to hold the office, Catherine Mturi-Wairi, was sent home in June 2018 after two years in office, over incompetency claims that led to congestion at the port of Mombasa and Inland Container Depot in Nairobi.
Mturi-Wairi had taken over from Gichiri Ndua who was sent parking in 2016 alongside other top managers, over corruption at the port.
She was replaced with Manduku, who resigned barely two years on the job.
General manager for engineering services Rashid Salim was appointed the acting managing director in March last year, a position he still holds.
In the re-advertisement, KPA board says it is seeking to recruit an individual with a high degree of integrity and professionalism, impeccable administrative capabilities and strategic orientation.
“The managing director will be an ex officio member of the board and will have executive responsibility for operating port services and facilities and maintaining, improving and regulating all scheduled seaports on the Indian Ocean coastline of Kenya, Inland Waterways and Inland Container Depots,” chairman General (Rtd) Joseph Kibwana says.
Among key responsibilities for the managing director will be to support formulation and implementation of the approved integrated strategic plan for the growth of KPA and the achievement of KPA's vision, mission and corporate objectives.
He or she will coordinate development of the annual and periodic budgets and plans for the organization, ensure effective management and utilization of the financial, human and other resources to meet the operational, statutory, social and economic objectives of KPA.
Must be a holder of a Bachelor's and Master's degree in either Port Management, Maritime and Shipping Logistics, Engineering, Business, Social Sciences, or Public Policy Science and Technology or related field from a recognized institution.
Candidates must have knowledge and experience of not less than 15 years of relevant work, with at least eight years served in a managerial or leadership role in a large organisation, either commercial or public entity with a national mandate.
Knowledge and understanding of the port industry and naval or maritime operations will be an added advantage.
The appointment is on contractual terms for an initial period of three years and is renewable for a further term of three years based on performance and business requirements.
“Applications should be received no later than March 19, 2021,” the board notes.
The KPA board had last week interviewed six candidates and submitted three names to CS Yatani, from which he was to pick one for the job.
Among the candidates was former Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia-Transport (Lapsset) CEO Sylvester Kasuku, who headed Lapsset from its inception in March 2013 until January 5 when his term expired.
Former Planning and Devolution PS Mabruk Mwanamaka and James Ng'ang'a, a former KPA insider who is currently the infrastructure director Northern Corridor at TradeMark East Africa were also in the race for the job.
Others were Saudi Mwasinago, who is in charge of Shimoni Port in Kwale, Martin Motoko who served as KPA corporate manager before moving to Kenya Power and Amani Komora, former KPA head of human resource.
According to Yatani, the shortlisted candidates failed to meet the required threshold to be appointed to the position.
“I have reviewed the list of the names, scores and ranking of the candidates proposed for the 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,” Yatani wrote to the board.
He asked the board to conclude the fresh recruitment exercise within 45 days from the date of his letter dated March 2.