Kenya Ports Authority(KPA) has appointed National Construction Authority(NCA) Managing Director Daniel Manduku to take the helm of the organisation in an acting capacity.
The move to appoint the new boss, comes after KPA board sent Catherine Mturi-Wairi on compulsory leave less than two years after she was confirmed on the job.
Local media reports indicate that Ms Wairi was sent home due to lack of effective leadership at the organisation. As a result, inefficiency and cargo delays were witnessed at the Port of Mombasa.
Transport PS Paul Maringa said that he expected the new managing director, to “take control, provide effective, timely leadership position, guidance and be fully accountable.
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Mr Daniel Manduku an architect, will also be expected to overseas the operations of other state agencies including Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya Railways and Kenya Bureau of Standards.
In recent days, Mombasa Port has been experiencing massive system failure leading to congestion essentially paralyzing activities at the port,despite massive investment in its infrastructure including expansion and new equipment purchased to boost efficiency.
Last year, KPA announced that it had secured a Sh35 billion loan from the Japanese government for the construction of the second phase of the second container terminal at Mombasa port.
The biggest port in East Africa and the region’s trade gateway, Mombasa handles imports of fuel and consumer goods and exports of tea and coffee from landlocked neighbours such as Uganda and South Sudan and its traffic flows serve as a barometer of economic activity in the region.