Hunt for new Kenya Pipeline CEO stalls

Corporate big wigs seem to shy away from taking up the top job at the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC), whose holders have been in many instances been hounded out of the office on graft allegations.

The State-run entity had in July invited qualified candidates to apply for the position of managing director.

The vacancy arose when its previous occupant Joe Sang was arrested, arraigned in court and charged with abuse of office and failing to comply with procedures relating to the management of public funds.

Minimum requirements

KPC said it received enough applications but has had to restart the process after the applicants failed to meet the minimum requirements.

KPC was not specific on the requirements that candidates failed to meet. Key requirements included having a Master’s Degree and a Certificate of Good Conduct from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, clearance from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and tax clearance from the Kenya Revenue Authority, among other documents.

“KPC board invited suitably qualified candidates to apply for the post of managing director. The closing date for the applications was August 2, 2019,” said the firm in a public notice yesterday.

“On the scrutiny of the applications, the board did not find an adequate number of qualified candidates to proceed to the next stage of interviews. This is to notify all qualified candidates that the board wishes to re-advertise the position of KPC managing director.”

In an interview, KPC Chairman John Ngumi said there were people interested in the position who had put in their applications but did not include all the documents requested. About 100 people had expressed interest in the job. “It is not as though people did not apply, we had more than enough candidates but they had not for one reason or another submitted all the mandatory documentation included in the advert,” he said.

KPC in December 2018 named Hudson Adambi as acting managing director for three months, which was extended to October to enable it to complete recruitment.

KPC ranks high among Kenya’s cash-rich parastatals with a high CEO turnover. The holders of the company’s corner office rarely making it to the end of their first term

Mr Sang was appointed KPC boss in April 2016, after the dismissal of Flora Akoth who had been serving in an acting capacity. Before then was Charles Tanui, appointed in January 2014, but left in 2015.

Tanui’s predecessor Selest Kilinda who replaced George Okungu served for one term.