Captain William Kipkemboi Ruto, the new managing director (MD) of the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), has formally succeeded Ambassador John Mwangemi, who served as acting MD.
To turn the Port of Mombasa and other port facilities into regional economic hubs, Captain Ruto pledged to lead the charge.
Ambassador Mwangemi, who has held the post in an acting capacity since 2021, is replaced by Ruto, who will hold the role for the following three years.
Since KPA came into existence in 1978, he will be the 15th MD. Over the previous three years, the position has been unfilled.
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He graduated from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology with an MBA in Strategic Management (JKUAT).
Along with being a member of the International Harbour Master's Association (UK) and an associate fellow of the Nautical Institute (AF-NI), Ruto possesses the highest qualification for a ship captain from South Tyneside Marine College in the United Kingdom—the Class 1 Master Mariner.
The new MD promises to go above and above to promote regional marine trade and enhance port capacity, operation, and service effectiveness.
He pledged that his administration would elevate Mombasa Port and seek to make KPA an organization that responds to the needs of everyone involved in the maritime industry.
According to Ruto, the Mombasa port's development and improved services will draw more shipping companies from around the world and lower freight prices for the good of all stakeholders.
Container ships must wait to load or unload to speed up the process; he says he would concentrate on expanding the nation's critical seaports in Mombasa, Lamu, and Kisumu.
According to Capt. Ruto, upgrading the port's operational efficiency and infrastructure is crucial for increasing the competitiveness of stakeholders like importers and exporters.
He claims to be aware of the size of the challenge at hand and to have a vision of completely automating port systems to meet international industry standards.
The Port of Mombasa serves a vast and expanding hinterland that includes Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Northern Tanzania, and the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. It is the primary entry point into the Eastern African region.
Happy port workers gave Ruto a warm greeting. He reassured KPA Board Chairman Benjamin Tayari of his commitment to turning around the Authority's financial situation by being receptive to suggestions from all port stakeholders.
He declared that he was glad to be back in the operations department, where Ruto had worked for more than 20 years, and he insisted that performance would be his rallying cry.
Ruto worked his way up the corporate ladder and has held prestigious roles like General Manager (Operations) and Port Master.
According to KPA Chairman Tayari, hiring Ruto will facilitate accelerating massive port infrastructure projects to reposition Mombasa as the critical hub port for the African continent and beyond.
"Being a long-time worker for KPA and a qualified individual, Captain Ruto also possesses a plethora of marine sector knowledge. He is the finest steward to promote KPA's reorganization to increase its robustness, efficiency, and level of accountability", according to Tayari.
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