Why ports authority managers were moved – Weekly Citizen

Daniel Manduku

There is more than meets the eye in the recent reshuffle of senior officers at the Kenya Ports Authority.
Weekly Citizen has information that a number of those demoted had planned to fix KPA managing director Daniel Manduku in a bribery deal that could have seen him arrested by Ethics Anti-Corruption Commission and eventually hounded out of office.
It is said the manager had invited the media at the set up venue where Manduku was to meet the sleuths. Manduku is said to have gotten wind of the scheme and kept off.
In the shake-up, those elevated were Erick Kotut and Moses Sirgoli. Kotut, who is the ethics and integrity officer, was elevated to become the head of ethics and integrity in an acting capacity.
The post fell vacant due to the retirement of Sylvester Ndongoli.
Manduku gave Kotut the acting position instead of Joseph Okhako who has been in the acting capacity for one year. Many were left wondering aloud why Okhako was sidelined with word that lobbying and influence in human resource department was instrumental.
Okhako has already fallen a victim of circumstances as he was transferred to the inland container depot in Kisumu as principal officer.
Sirgoli said to be close to operations and harbour master captain William Ruto was elevated to the position of principal procurement officer (tender and CTC), a position which was held by acting head of procurement and supplies Aza Drenge.
He was a supplies officer in charge of the medical store at KPA Bandari Clinic before moving to Kipevu KPA headquarters.
Kotut and Sirgoli have hardly worked at the port of Mombasa for more than 10 years but they were elevated to the managerial positions during the internal reshuffle.
Ali Mwinjika who is close to Mombasa tycoons and a master of multi millions deals was elevated to the position of principal procurement officer (purchasing and contractor).
Before he was elevated, he was procurement officer at the KPA headquarters at the port of Mombasa.
The casualties in Manduku’s first shakeup after he was confirmed are those his predecessor Catherine Mturi had elevated during her tenure before it ended prematurely.
Head of security Miriam Khamis who was out of the county on official duty was moved to a non-existent post of head of ICT at the inland container depot in Nairobi. ICT department is locked in Mombasa.
Weekly Citizen has information that managers bitter with Miriam’s rise colluded to link her to illegal oil business at the port involving her relative.
Fredrick Oyugi was also demoted to a non-existent post of head of SGR reconciliation ICD in Nairobi from being head of audit and risks.
Manduku who seems to be realigning his team upon his confirmation, moved the head of procurement Antony Nyamancha to Uganda as KPA head of liaison and markets. Tony Kibwana, who has been holding principal security office, is the head of security.
Peter Masinde is the head of inland container depot.
Eveline Shigoli who was allied to anti-Manduku camp at KPA was moved from procurement to Coast Guard Services. Onesmus Ngumbao replaced John Nyamosi as acting head of management accounting. Nyamosi was not given any portfolio with word; he wanted an insider to be named MD not outsider. Millicent Omollo has replaced Okhoka as acting head of audit and risks.