Kenya: New Ports Authority Boss Vows to Address Workers’ Grievances

Nairobi, Kenya — Newly appointed Kenya Ports Authority(KPA) managing director Captain William Ruto has assured employees that he will take care of their grievances.

Speaking shortly after taking over office in Mombasa, the seasoned mariner said he would work towards creating a conducive working environment for them to deliver their respective mandate.

Captain Ruto has taken over leadership at the Kenya Ports Authority against the backdrop of workers going on a go slow to protest over overtime allowances and a medical scheme that they want to be scrapped from their terms of service.

“I want to assure you that performance will go high. From today, we want to plan how we will start to break records”, he said.

Captain Ruto spoke to the employees after they gathered at the KPA office with a set of demands for the new managing director to address as he takes charge of the parastatal.

The MD position at KPA has been vacant for three years following the resignation of Daniel Manduku back in 2020.

Since Manduku’s resignation, KPA has had two acting managing directors; Engineer Rashid Salim (2020-2021) and Ambassador John Mwangemi.

Captain William Ruto who is the immediate former Kisumu ports boss traces his career as a cadet joining in 1991 before joining the Kenya Ports Authority in 2001 as a senior mariner rising through the ranks to his current position.

Ruto was appointed through a gazette notice following a recruitment drive carried out by the Kenya Port Authorities board of directors in December last year.

The JKUAT and South Tyneside Marine College graduate boasts 32 years of maritime experience.