Coast leaders spoil for a fight over KPA jobs

BY PATRICK BEJA and LINAH BENYAWA

A row is simmering between Coast leaders and Transport Minister Amos Kimunya over the newly appointed Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) board of directors.

Lobby groups and leaders from the Coast region say they are not pleased as the appointment does not reflect Kenyan regional diversities.

Led by Coast Parliamentary Group (CPG) chairman Benedict Gunda, they were saddened by the move by Transport Minister Amos Kimunya to appoint three quarters of the directors from one ethnic group.

"What Kimunya has done is against the new law. Where are the other Kenyans because only one ethnic group has been represented a sign of tribalism," said Gunda.

Also a section of clerics have threatened to take legal action if the list was not nullified and the Port Workers’ Union threatened to withdraw labour unless the government restructured the current KPA board to have a national outlook.

Dock Workers Union general secretary Mr Simon Sang said the 6,200-member organisation was disappointed by the recent appointments and was writing a petition to President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to reverse it.

He said the union was also inviting the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) secretary general Mr Francis Atwoli to intervene in the row.

"KPA is a national institution and we want the appointments to reflect all regions in line with the Constitution. We will call a strike if the board is not restructured to represent the face of Kenya," Sang warned.

Sang called for the amendment to the KPA Act Chapter 391, which gives the Transport Minister and PS exclusive rights to appoint the board and managing directors saying there should be room for vetting.

On Monday, Transport assistant minister†Hassan Joho toured Mombasa port and defended Mr Kimunya over the controversial appointments to the KPA board insisting they were justified.

Joho who is Kisauni MP in Mombasa County said the directors were qualified and that majority of those who hail from Central Kenya were appointed by the virtue of their positions in ministries such as PSs.

"The appointments were properly done and Coast MPs should meet the minister if they have any genuine grievances," he said.

Joho who was accompanied by Transport minister Mr Cyrus Njiru and KPA managing director Mr Gichiri Ndua met senior managers amid tension following the board changes.

On April 20, Kimunya appointed Mr Bernard Gaithuma, Ms Eunice Njeru and Mr Abdalla Fadhili as new directors.

They replaced Messrs Mohamed Jahazi, Komora Jillo and Mr George Waireri.

Other KPA directors include chairman Mr Baramadi Shukri (Lamu county), Ms Khadija Karim (Lamu county), Mr Ian Karanja (Central Kenya), Joseph Kinyua (Finance PS, Central), Mr Cyrus Njiru (Central Kenya),† Mr James Waweru representing the Attorney General, KPA managing director Mr Githiri Ndua (Central Kenya), KPA company secretary Ms Muthoni Gatere (Central Kenya), Kenya Revenue Authority commissioner general Mr John Njiraini, and Kenya Railways Corporation Mr Nduva Muli (Eastern Kenya).

The council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK)

organising secretary Sheikh Mohammed Khalifa said they expected at least 75 per cent of the board members to come from the region while the remaining from other regions.

"We would not rest until the names are nullified, this is unacceptable. People from Coast are Kenyans just like any other Kenyans," stated Khalifa.

Khalifa was accompanied by nominated MP Sheikh Mohammed Dor who asked the two principals President Mwai Kibaki and PM Raila Odinga to intervene on the issue.

"The move is against the constitution, this being an election year the Government should do things right by ensuring that the names are nullified and new members appointed," said Dor.

Another nominated MP Shakila Abdalla said it was important to find out the criteria used to select the board of directors.

Msambweni MP Omar Zonga condemned the appointments saying that they would make sure that the board was nullified.