Head of KPA confirmed as Norwegian lands airports top job

Catherine Mturi-Wairi

NAIROBI: Catherine Mturi-Wairi has been appointed Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) managing director.

At the same time, Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) appointed a Norwegian national as its new CEO. Jonny Andersen is now new CEO of KAA after emerging top in a series of interviews that had attracted six candidates.

He will be expected to bring stability and transparency at the parastatal that has not had stable management since former CEO Stephen Gichuki went on terminal leave after expiry of his contract in 2013.

KAA Chairman Julius Karangi said the appointment was a conclusion to an “issue of interest to Kenyans”.

He said the new appointee scored 88 per cent, beating five contenders.

“The recruited Managing Director of KAA, starting today (yesterday) is going to be Jonny Anderson and will be gazetted immediately,” said Karangi.

GRAFT ALLEGATIONS

Andersen is currently director of National Airports at Avinor AS, a State firm that manages seven government-owned airport hubs in Norway.

He beat Joseph Kimote of National Social Security Fund who came second with 82 per cent and Fastjet CEO James Kibati (74 per cent). Robert Mureithi, a former CEO of Kenya Tourism Board, scored 73 per cent.

Others who lost were William Kirwa, a former CEO of Agricultural Development Corporation and Yatich Kangugo, who has been acting as the airport’s CEO following the sacking of Lucy Mbugua over corruption allegations.

Three names – Andersen, Kibati and Kangugo – had been forwarded to the Transport CS James Macharia after the second round of interviews.

Separately, Macharia confirmed Mrs Mturi-Wairi, a financial expert, as the new KPA boss.

She had served in an acting capacity for five months since former Managing Director Gichiri Ndua retired.

KPA is the State agency that runs the Port of Mombasa and other small ports across in the country.

Mturi-Wairi, the daughter of Jonathan Mturi who served as the KPA managing director between 1980 to 1984, will serve for three years, according to the CS.