Acting KPA boss Manduku urges Kenyans to give him a chance

KPA acting managing director Daniel Manduku (left) meets senior terminal managers during a familiarisation tour of the port of Mombasa on June 4, 2018. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • A section of Coast politicians and Kaya elders urged the government to appoint a local and defended former KPA boss Catherine Mturi Wairi.

  • The KPA board had said the decision to send Ms Wairi home was also due to lack of effective leadership and a non-responsive work culture

  • In his first interview five days since he was appointed, Dr Manduku said his main goal is to reduce inefficiency at the parastatal.

Acting Kenya Ports Authority Managing Director Daniel Manduku has urged Kenyans to give him a chance to improve efficiency at the port of Mombasa.

Dr Manduku dismissed calls by Coast politicians and Kaya elders who want him removed from the giant parastatal based in Mombasa because he is a non-local.

A section of Coast politicians and Kaya elders urged the government to appoint a local and defended former KPA boss Catherine Mturi Wairi who was sent on compulsory leave on Wednesday last week over inefficiencies.

The KPA board had said the decision to send Ms Wairi home was also due to lack of effective leadership and a non-responsive work culture, consistent failure to implement board resolutions and the absence of explicit performance targets.

FATE UNKNOWN

Her fate is unknown after the board of management immediately replaced her with Dr Manduku in an acting capacity.

Speaking during his first interview five days since he was appointed, Dr Manduku said his main goal is to reduce inefficiency at the parastatal.

“Being an outsider is a misdiagnosis. What do you mean by outsider?  I am a Kenyan, I am highly qualified and motivated to work here. Coming from another sector, I have no personal interest. I am not a clearing agent, I don’t own a ship, I don’t have relatives working here and so I am coming with a mindset that is neutral and objective,” said the acting KPA boss.

Even if I have no technical background, added Dr Manduku, I am learning many things fast.  

DIFFERENCES

Dr Manduku said people should look at his ability and capacity to perform his duties only.

“That is an advantage because I don’t come here with any baggage or any historical differences with anyone,” he said.

“I am here to perform specific duties and I will do it. I have identified key players including shippers, shipping lines and container freight station owners to ensure we work as a team and that is why I opted not to sit in the headquarters but to move my office to the container terminal,” added Dr Manduku.

Dr Manduku said he opted to transfer his office in order to be accountable to the cargo production , adding that the move has shown positive results.

COMPETITIVENESS

“I am here to enhance business not disrupt it. I will be reaching out to all the business communities to help me achieve the best practice in terms of competitiveness. We will align all personal interests to national interests which is to make the port effective and efficient.”

If confirmed as the MD, after two months in acting capacity, Dr Manduku said his first assignment will be to engage dock workers with their union and the human resource department to address their welfare issues.

“They workers have unique skills but they need to be motivated through adequate and relevant training. For now, I am learning the metrics and operations at the port,” added Dr Manduku.