Betty Makena, Kenya’s first female port inspector

International Transport Federation Mombasa Port Inspector Betty Makena (centre) consults with Comoro Island Sailors Hamadi Jano (right) and Mohamed Ali (left). [Maarufu Mohamed, Standard]

Betty Makena is Kenya’s first ever woman Port Inspector. She is working for the International Transport Federation (ITF) based at the Mombasa Port.

She is responsible for the safety and welfare of passengers and crew members ashore.

It is also her mandate to ensure proper employment and living conditions for staff. Speaking to the Saturday Standard, Ms Makena says hers is a physically demanding job that requires her to be fit.

“It is a hectic job considering that majority of vessels that call at the port are the modern versions which are large. Therefore, one has to be physically fit to endure the scaling up and down of the ships,’’ she says.

She joined ITF in 2012. She previously worked in the telecommunication department at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA). In line, she was the third ITF Mombasa Port Inspector since the country joined the global ports network which today boasts of having 136 inspectors.

Captain Salim Khamis was the country’s first port inspector from the year 2000 to 2002. He was succeeded by Juma Khamisi (now deceased) who served from 2003 to 2009.

During the interview, she floored 13 men, majority of who were ship captains, to get the job.

She was the only one, among the other candidates, with a strong trade union background which forms a key requirement for one to be appointed an ITF inspector.

While working at KPA, Ms Makena was elected first Gender representative at the Dock Workers’ Union and the Central Organisation of Trade Union Gender Chairperson for ten years.

“I conduct routine inspections and also visit ships on request of the crew. If necessary, I assist with actions to protect seafarers’ rights as permitted by law,’’ she said.

She is proud to have put Kenyan women on the global scene by being among the 12 women worldwide to hold the position.

Role model

“It is a pleasure being able to effectively address challenges and influence the East and Central Africa ports,’’ she said.

The job presents new challenges every passing day. However,she salutes Principal Secretary in-charge of Shipping and Maritime Affairs, Nancy Karigithu for being her role model and mentor.

“Right from the time she was the Director General of Kenya Maritime Authority Nancy, one of Kenya’s finest maritime lawyers,  has been a key adviser and source of inspiration,’’ Makena explained.

Ms Makena is one of the most successful and exalted officials at the port.

She speaks of trying moments that occasionally weigh her down.

For instance, she says she was once frustrated when she boarded a Ukrainian Cargo ship after receiving information that one of the crew had gone missing. “When I visited the cabin where the crew was staying, there were dried blood stains and nobody offered to explain the whereabouts of their colleague. Even the ship master himself never volunteered information,’’ she said.

It was after several in-depth inquiries that Makena discovered that the missing crew had actually been killed and his body thrown overboard into the sea.

“The sad part is that I could not complete the investigation because the Mombasa Port Police  had released the members and the ship owner also brought in new crew who left the country without my knowledge,’’ she concluded.