- The new KPA managing director is expected to be named by April 1 after the recruitment process ended on January 13.
- Murkomen assured that the issue of politics and impunity will no longer interfere with the port affairs under his tenure as the cabinet secretary.
Image: ONYANGO OCHIENG
Roads, Transport and Public Works cabinet secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has assured that there will be no more political interference in the running of the Kenya Ports Authority.
His sentiments come as the authority is in the process of picking a new managing director after the recruitment process ended on January 13.
“We expect the new MD to be in the office by April 1. I have trust in the new board to recruit a new competent MD who will be in sync with the vision of the government,” said Murkomen.
Murkomen said that KPA has over the years been under the political influence of past regimes, which he said affected the performance of the port.
He was speaking in Mombasa after officiating the first board meeting chaired by the new KPA board chair, former Kinango MP Benjamin Tayari.
Tayari was appointed to the position through a gazette notice dated January 13, taking over from Gen (Rtd) Joseph Kibwana whose appointment was revoked.
“I want to assure you that as the CS in charge of this docket, I will not give you illegal orders or ask you to do anything against the law, whether it touches on procurement or management," Murkomen said.
“You will be guided by the law and I will also be guided by the law.”
Last November, while opening the 119th edition of the Mombasa International Show, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua revealed that President William Ruto had thwarted efforts by some selfish individuals to privatise the port.
The DP said that the port had been stolen by people he termed as lords of impunity, state capture and conflict of interest.
“If it were not for the KPA board of director’s patriotism and refusal to allow that to happen, the port could have gone,” the DP said then.
Gachagua said that the president directed CS Murkomen to do an audit of all port facilities and establish what else had been stolen.
Murkomen assured that the issue of politics and impunity will no longer interfere with the port affairs under his tenure as the cabinet secretary.
He reiterated that no board member is a political appointee of anyone in the political arena saying that they were all appointed by merit and are collectively appointees of the cabinet secretary, the ministry and the government of the Republic of Kenya.
“You are answerable first to the Constitution, then the people of Kenya and to the national executive through the office of the cabinet secretary”
“I know you will get a lot of requests some saying nimetumwa na waziri au rais, I cannot send people to come to do illegality. If someone comes with this just give me a call, if I send someone I will call but we will not send people to do illegalities,” he said.
The CS further urged the board to be creative saying that they were coming in a critical time when the port is facing a myriad of challenges. Top on the list, he said, is competition from neighbours.
Somali is expected to open the new deep-water port in the city of Gara’ad this month. At the same time, the port Djibouti in Djibouti has also been expanding operations over the years with Tanzania also expected to open a new port in Zanzibar soon.
The Mombasa port has for a long time been the automatic port of choice in the region.
“In a positive way, we need to put in the necessary investment in this port to be miles ahead of the competition. We must improve on our efficiency to make sure that Mombasa port remains the port of choice,” Murkomen said.
He further urged the board to undertake a review of the KPA Act of 1979 with a view to strengthening the management of the port. The last review of the act was done in 2012 but was never completed.
Present during the board meeting was the new Transport PS Mohamed Dhagar who assured the new board of the ministry’s full support as they deliver on their mandate in the next three years.
The KPA board chair Benjamin Tayari assured the CS that they were ready for the task ahead promising that the board will work as a team.
“Count on us that we will deliver on the government’s vision. I promise you that we shall work as a team, we shall consult before reaching any decision and we shall ensure that whatever comes from this room is good for the nation,” Tayari said.
Also present in the meeting was the acting managing director ambassador John Mwangemi who assured the board that the management will work closely with the new board.
Mwangemi reiterated that KPA is not afraid of competition saying that this will only encourage the authority to work even better.