KPA sacks, moves senior managers in major reshuffle
PURGE: Top officials at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) have been sent packing and others reshuffled in what is believed to be a purge against graft that has plagued the agency over the years.
Acting head of procurement Adza Dzengo alongside 15 other members of staff in the procurement department were shown the door in what appears to be a major surgery to heal the authority of the corruption cancer.
Dzengo, who was in the list of those implicated in the Sh40 billion Kipevu Oil Terminal tender scandal, was sacked over gross misconduct in his procurement role.
Massive shakeup
But KPA head of Corporate affairs Bernard Osero said he was not aware of the motive of the dismissals and reshuffles as it was not communicated internally.
In an interview with Business Hub, Osero could not confirm or deny any link between the massive shakeup and graft saying those affected were given “individual letters.”
“For sure I have nothing to comment on the matter. Even if you ask me I personally can’t tell exactly how many were given the letters.
It remains confidentially between the employer and the employee. Unless an individual decides to make it public,” said Osero in a telephone interview.
The shakeup comes six months after KPA’s Board Risk and Audit Committee recommended disciplinary action against a number of top officials in the finance, procurement and engineering departments.
It also comes less than a month after Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji ordered former Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Managing Director Daniel Manduku and former works officer at the authority Juma Fadhili Chigulu, arrested and charged over graft and irregular procurement amounting to Sh244 million at the State Corporation.
Hajji said there was sufficient evidence that Manduku authorised and approved the procurement of the manufacture of concrete barriers at the Inland Container Depot, Kilindini Port and Makongeni Goods shed without an approved budget and procurement plan for the 2018/2019 financial year.
Head of Container Terminal Edward Opiyo has been relegated to principal officer within the same department and sent to Lamu.
