KAA embroiled in bitter struggle to replace sacked boss

Sacked Kenya Airports Authority CEO Lucy Mbugua. The Kenya Airports Authority is seeking a new chief executive eight months after Ms Mbugua was shown the door over a Sh11 million bus leasing scam. PHOTO | BILLY MUTAI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Transport CS told the Sunday Nation that five professional recruitment firms have been shortlisted and the ministry was in the process of picking which one would continue with the recruitment.

  • The Consumers Federation of Kenya (Cofek) wants the entire board disbanded.

The cancellation of the hiring process of a new managing director for the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) could further fuel the fight for control of this crucial parastatal that has been embroiled in a power struggle for the past six years since the controversial exit of Mr George Muhoho.

Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia told the Sunday Nation that five professional recruitment firms have been shortlisted and the ministry was in the process of picking which one would continue with the recruitment.

“We had sent requests to 10 firms but five made it. In the next couple of days, the process will start afresh,” he said.

“There was a lot of political interference in the first process but, you know, some of these institutions like KAA are very crucial to the economy and it is only correct if we get it right from the start,” he said.

Mr Yatich Kangungo has been at the helm of the Authority on acting capacity since June last year after Lucy Mbugua was fired over the Sh2 million per bus hiring scandal for the Apron services. Before that she had been suspended twice and reinstated over the controversial award of a tender to run duty-free shops at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to Dufry International.

The acting MD and all but four GMs are on acting capacity positions. At least 120 applicants had declared their interest to succeed Ms Lucy Mbugua, whose position was declared vacant in November. But the CS has turned the heat on the board, saying the process has so far been unprofessional.

“This is not unique to KAA but all parastatal appointments. They are faced with the same canvassing problem and things have to change,” he said.

Mr Macharia’s firm stand is likely to drive a wedge between him and the board that is led by former IG David Kimaiyo, which just recently was hit by a reshuffle as President Uhuru Kenyatta sought to consolidate his oversight control of the authority.

It is believed the former IG, who performed dismally as head of the police service, was appointed to the position to quell protests from the URP camp of the Jubilee Coalition. However, when making parastatal appointments in October, the President brought in Ms Susan Kiama, Mr Newton Onyango and lawyer Jacqueline Oyuyo.

BUNGLED EXERCISE

The Consumers Federation of Kenya (Cofek) wants the entire board disbanded.

“We welcome the belated concurrence by Mr Macharia with our concerns. We, however, believe that the move is too little too late on various grounds. First, that he needs to disband the current board which has bungled the exercise,” said the federation in a statement.

“Second, he must comply with the recommendations of the Commission on Administrative Justice,” it said.

As the sole owner of all the public airports and airstrips in the country, KAA generates at least Sh10 billion per year as revenue. It is one of the few parastatals that make their own money outside the ambit of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA). It also issues many tenders, hence the strong fight for control.

The MDs position has been a game of musical chairs since Mr Muhoho retired in 2009, only to be controversially reinstated after a week by then Transport minister Chirau Ali Makwere. Mr Muhoho managed the authority for a year before being ousted and succeeded by Mr Stephen Gichuki, whose appointment was also mired in controversy after Parliament initially rejected it.

Mr Gichuki was eventually ousted in 2013 after fire gutted part of the airport and the then marketing manager Lucy Mbugua was appointed on an acting capacity.