Graft, accidents and recruitment top new KAM boss's in-tray

Claims of graft, marine accidents, unlicensed seafarers, and intense rivalry top the in-tray of the newly appointed Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) Director General (DG) Justus Nyarandi.

Nyarandi will also have to navigate the boardroom wars in the agency that has had high turnover of executives since the 2005 exit of the founding DG Nancy Karigithu.

On July 10, Cabinet Secretary of Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs Hassan Joho appointed Nyarandi to take over from Eng Julius Koech, who was in an acting capacity.

Eng Koech took over from Martin Munga, who was removed on September 20, 2024. He, however, moved to court to sue a section of the board members, whom he accused of graft.

In a case that was filed at the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Mombasa, Munga claimed that his removal stemmed from his refusal to approve "unclear payments."

Interestingly, Munga also accused CS Joho of being "an uninterested bystander or a secret catalyst" in the conflicts at the agency. He said Joho failed to exercise its oversight role over KMA.

“I refused to approve such unclear payments and insisted on only authorising requests that had been properly justified and approved by the head of finance,” Munga stated in court papers.

He claimed his insistence on following the law led to a coordinated effort by board members to oust him and install a “gatekeeper” in his place.

At the centre of the war was the over-expenditure of Sh321.5 million in the 2023-2024 financial year.

Meanwhile, the board chair, Hamisi Mwaguya, was also pushed out over a graft allegation linked to the cost of his taxi. Mwaguya, however, denied any wrongdoing when the matter arose.

Most KMA DGs have also been pushed out under the same circumstances. Observers of the DG are sacrificed once they refuse to do as told by their benefactors.

When Dr Karigithu left, Cosmas Cherop took over in an acting capacity but was later replaced after he was accused of graft in the construction of the Sh2B KMA headquarters in Mombasa.

George Mc’goye took over in an acting capacity before the KMA board appointed Major (rtd) George Okong’o as the substantive director general.

However, following differences with the board of directors and the Ministry of Transport, Maj. (Rtd.) Okong’o resigned in July 2020, citing frustrations.

The then KMA commercial director, John Omingo, took over as acting director general for more than two years until the appointment of Engineer Martin Munga.

Other than graft and boardroom wars, Nyarandi also takes over when there has been an increase in marine accidents in the Indian Ocean and inland water bodies.

In May, two fishermen died in Kilifi County after two fishing boats were hit by strong winds at Vuma cliffs in Takaungu, Kilifi South, and capsized.

In the same month, another boat, also with two fishermen, capsized at Tezo Wesa. The fishermen who were fishing along the reef were, however, rescued.

In May 2024, 13 passengers, who were swept by floods at Mororo along the Garissa-Madogo Road, have yet to be found after their boat capsized.

KMA was also criticised for its failure to approve logistical support for the boat that capsized in Lake Turkana on August 8, 2024, and killed 17 passengers.

Meanwhile, Nyarandi will also be faced with the backlog in the registration and issuance of the Seafarers Identity Documents (SIDA) of local sailors seeking international ships.

SID enables sailors to travel and work on ships. It is often required for shore leave, transfer, and transit, as well as facilitating international maritime operations.

The issuance of special passports for seafarers has been delayed because they require approvals from various bodies, including the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

Recently, unionists also raised the red flag over the entry of unregistered agencies duping Kenyans seeking jobs aboard international ships, sparking concerns of poor pay and working conditions.

It has also emerged that out of 13 manning and crewing agents licensed to recruit Kenyans, only six have verifiable agreements with shipping lines as principals, compounding the problem.

“This glaring disparity raises serious questions about regulatory enforcement and the true value these agencies provide to Kenya’s maritime sector,” said Andrew Mwangura, a former General Secretary of the Seafarers Union of Kenya (SUK).

He recalled the 2001 scam where unscrupulous agents conned Kenyans seeking jobs aboard ships.

“Thousands of Kenyans desperate for employment opportunities paid substantial application fees and ‘processing charges’ for positions that never existed,” he said.

In a recent interview, Steve Owaki, a former SUK secretary general, also said KMA should come up with a watertight monitoring system to enforce compliance.

“There should be periodic verification exercises with physical visits to offices of all those agencies licensed to recruit seafarers,” he said.

Owaki said KMA should ensure Kenyan seafarers enjoy the same benefits as others who work on ocean-going vessels worldwide and not allow rogue agents to take advantage of jobless sailors.