KPA Appoints New MD

Mr. Gichiri Ndua has been appointed the new Kenya Ports Authority Managing Director, having served in acting capacity for six months following the exit by his predecessor Mr. James Mulewa.

Mr. Ndua, who was the Corporate Services Manager before this appointment, becomes the 12th appointed CEO since KPA’s inception. The appointment was reached after consultations between the KPA Board and the Ministry of Transport who agreed to appoint a substantive Managing Director from within to ascertain continuity given the uniqueness of the port industry.

Other Managing Directors who have served before include Merss James Mulewa, Abdalla Mwaruwa, Brown Ondego, Joseph Munene, Lennyrod Mwangola, Robert Brenneisen, Simeon Mkalla, Albert Mumba, Philip Okundi, Jonathan Mturi and John Gituma.

At the time of joining Kenya Ports Authority in 1984, Mr. Ndua was a holder of Master of Arts (Economics) and Bachelor of Arts (Economics) Upper Second Class Honours from the University of Nairobi. He is a member of Institute of Economic Affairs (K), Kenya Institute of Management and Institute of Directors, Kenya.

Mr. Ndua, who is also the current President of the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH), joined Kenya Ports Authority in 1984 as a middle level manager, project analyst and later served as Business and Development Coordinator, Personal Assistant to the Managing Director, Principal Bandari College and Corporate Services Manager. He has also been serving as the Alternate Director, Kenya Railways Corporation.

His appointment makes him the first African CEO to hold the post of IAPH presidency. In May last year, KPA set record as the first organisation from the region to present the first African candidate for Presidency for the IAPH that has been in existence for about 55 years. IAPH presidency has been rotating amongst the Americas, Europe and recently Asia. Mr. Ndua took over from Mrs. Datin Paduka O. C Phang from port Klang -Malaysia.

Prior to this, Mr. Ndua had served as 2nd and 1st vice-president of IAPH incharge of the Africa/Europe region.

Gichiri Ndua has authored and presented several papers on Transportation and Ports, Feasibility Studies and Project Proposals. His papers on policy and strategic planning are quoted widely. He has delivered outstanding key note speeches to institutions such as Permanent International Navigation Congress Association, Port Management Associations of West and Central Africa, Arab Academy of Science and Technology, Chinese Ports and Shipping Association, Transport Events, Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa and Pan African Ports Cooperation Conference.

As Corporate Services Manager, Mr. Ndua was responsible for Strategic Planning, Policy Analysis, Port Development, Marketing, Operations Research, Statistics, Corporate Communications and International liaison. Mr. Ndua is best remembered for his stewardship and promotion of Port Master Plan including Development of Free Port, Port Tariff and more recently the removal of verification charges for cargo through the Port. Furthermore he has routinely guided the preparation and production of Kenya Ports Authority Strategic Roadmap and Performance Contracts.

Mr. Ndua takes over stewardship at a time when the port is undertaking a number of projects to enhance efficiency which include construction of a second container terminal, dredging of the channel, conversion of berths 11-14 to a full container terminal, implementation of the national single window system and facilitation of government studies to establish a second commercial port in Lamu.

Mr. Ndua has exemplary competence, expertise, experience and above all unmatched international training and exposure on matters of port management and development