- The position of MD at KPA has been vacant for the last 3 years.
- The captain started his career in 1991 at KPA as a Cadet Marine Deck Officer before rising through the ranks.
Image: KPA
Captain William Ruto has been selected as the new managing director of the Kenya Ports Authority following an appointment by Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
"The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport appoints Capt. William K Ruto to be the Managing Director of the Kenya Ports Authority, for three (3) years, with effect from the 10th March 2023," the gazette notice read.
The captain started his career in 1991 at KPA as a Cadet Marine Deck Officer before rising through the ranks to positions such as Harbor Master, General Manager Operations, and his current appointment as MD for the Kenya Ports Authority.
He is a trained Mariner by profession scaling through the heights from Cadetship to Ship Master and worked on board various foreign-going vessels for over 9 years.
Capt Ruto has served at sea as a deck officer on board a variety of vessel types, including tankers, container and General Cargo vessels before finally taking command of a General Cargo Ship.
Capt Ruto gained a Class 1 Master Mariner in 2001 for an HND in Nautical Science from his studies at the South Tyneside college in the United Kingdom.
He further holds a Master of Business Administration Strategic Management option, from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
Capt Ruto is an Associate Fellow of the Nautical Institute and a Member of the International Harbour Master’s Association.
He has done a Port Security course at the University of Maryland (USA), an IMO course on Port Management and Operations, in France - Port du Havre, and several other short courses on port maritime and management.
Murkomen lauded Captain Ruto’s range of skills and expertise in the industry which he said will be crucial in his new role as MD.
“I believe that his wealth of experience spanning 32 years will be instrumental in ensuring the Authority delivers on its mandate to the people of Kenya and continues to contribute towards the growth of the Kenyan economy,” Murkomen said.
"I congratulate the new managing director and assure him of the Government’s support in the management of the Kenya Ports Authority."
Until this current appointment, he was serving as the General Manager of the Kisumu Port.