The Kenya Ports Authority has broken its silence regarding the controversy surrounding its recent recruitment exercise.
KPA advertised 296 positions, attracting over 500,000 applicants. The entire process was conducted online, with no human interface involved. However, the exercise is now under scrutiny, with leaders and a section of civil society demanding full disclosure of the applicants, the shortlisted candidates, and the successful appointees.
On Monday, KPA managing director Captain William Ruto addressed the matter, asserting that the recruitment was carried out in an open and transparent manner.
“Nobody met with anybody. Everything was done online. Applicants accessed their laptops and applied. It is the system that decides, not me or any individual. The system computes and selects the top 10 candidates and displays them,” Captain Ruto stated.
He made the remarks during the distribution of Sh3.5 million worth of food to needy and underprivileged families in Mombasa and the Coast region. He emphasised that there was no human interference at any stage of the process, and no one could claim to have met or negotiated with anyone.
“As KPA, we are committed to automation and digitisation. That is why we initiated this process. This is the first time KPA has conducted recruitment through an online platform to eliminate the risk of people meeting and engaging in misconduct,” Captain Ruto explained.
He clarified that the number of vacant positions was limited to 296, and the authority could not employ more than that. “There were over 500,000 applicants. Do you expect all of them to be satisfied? Not everyone will get the opportunity to work at KPA. Naturally, there will be complaints. If today you are not successful, there is always tomorrow. We are exploring ways to recruit more people, and very soon, we will unveil the programme we have started,” the KPA boss added.
Bradly Ouna, Francis Auma, Salma Hemed and Walid Sketty at the Haki Africa offices on Tuesday / BRIAN OTIENO
He also mentioned that KPA has advertised internship opportunities for 194 individuals, encouraging Kenyans to try their luck and apply. “You never know,” he concluded.
On Tuesday, the exercise drew mixed reactions from human rights activists. Some called for the publication of all applicants, shortlisted candidates, and successful recruits to ensure transparency, while others dismissed such demands as petty.
At a press conference held at the Haki Africa offices in Kizingo, Mombasa, some activists expressed concern over the regional representation of the successful candidates. Haki Africa’s Mathias Shipeta noted they had received complaints from applicants as far afield as Lamu.
“KPA is a public entity and must uphold professionalism, even in its recruitment processes. We feel this process has not been transparent enough. It has been opaque. It’s unclear who was shortlisted, who was interviewed, and who ultimately succeeded,” Shipeta stated.
He called for greater access to information, believing it would provide clarity on the matter. Vocal Africa’s Walid Sketty criticised politicians, urging them not to exploit the issue for political gain. He argued that politicians have more powerful platforms to scrutinise the recruitment but are instead using political forums to stoke emotions.
Muhuri’s Francis Auma urged activists and politicians to channel their energy into advocating for projects that benefit the masses, rather than inciting controversy over an entity that has been recording impressive performance over the past three years.
“We have seen what KPA and its leadership have achieved recently. It has been performing well. Why try to tarnish the reputation of the MD when we can recognise his accomplishments?” Auma said.
He also pointed out that politicians should first address the shortcomings within their own offices before criticising others. “Instead of scrutinising KPA’s recruitment, politicians should focus on major infrastructure projects like roads, airports, and development initiatives. Let’s work on those instead,” he said.
