Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Managing Director Catherine Mturi-Wairi, has been sent on compulsory leave.

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She was sent home on Wednesday by the Authority's Board for allegedly failing to meet the company's performance targets according to Michael Maina, a member of the Board.

The decision was reached following a Board meeting also attended by Transport Principal Secretary Paul Maringa.

Maina told the press that the Board had "decided to send Ms Wairi home due to lack of effective leadership at the port, non-responsive work culture, consistent failure to implement board resolutions, the absence of explicit performance targets and the failure to implement them.

"Dr Daniel Manduku, the CEO of the National Construction Authority (NCA) takes over from her in an acting capacity from Thursday, May 31, for a period of two months pending further directions. 

"It is regrettable that there has been minimal or no visible coordination of the multi agency activities within the port. The situation can only be explained by a lack of effective leadership at the port," Maina said, adding that the decision to pick Dr Manduku had been done in consultation with Transport Cabinet Secretary, Dr James Macharia.

Mturi-Wairi was appointed to head the port in July 2016.

On May 28, Mturi-Wairi urged employees to be responsible for their own safety and that of their colleagues while at the workplace.

Addressing staff and port users at the KPA headquarters during the flagging off of the KPA safety week, the MD asked them to take advantage of the Authority’s health awareness initiatives at strategic work places for medical checkups to improve on their health and that of their families.

"A healthy workforce is the pillar of high productivity,” said Wairi.

General Manager Operations and Harbour Master Captain William Ruto was also present during the flagging off session.

The theme for this year’s KPA Safety Week scheduled for 28th to 31st May 2018 is “Safety starts with me, Nitawajibika.”

The week would culminate to an official ceremony on Thursday, May 31, 2018 at the headquarters to be presided over by the MD.