Pressure Mounts on KPA to Publish Job Interview Names



The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) has come under pressure from human rights defenders in Mombasa to publish the names of all shortlisted candidates for employment interviews in order to promote transparency.

Speaking to the media in Mombasa, Haki Afrika Rapid Response Officer Mathias Shipeta said KPA has been evasive about information regarding the recruitment process, despite it being a matter of public interest.

“KPA should put this matter to rest by doing what is right. Publish those names for everyone to see. Make the process free and fair to avoid doubts,” he said.

She Rises Executive Director Salma Hemed also urged KPA to ensure that 75 percent of the advertised jobs are reserved for indigenous coastal communities, noting that locals continue to face marginalization despite the port being located in the region.



“They are secretly allocating jobs to their own people while our communities remain unemployed. For instance, a larger share of jobs at Lamu Port should be set aside for the Wanati (Lamu indigenes),” she stated.

Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI) and Vocal Africa also cautioned politicians against politicizing the KPA recruitment process.

MUHURI Rapid Response Officer Francis Auma and his counterpart from Vocal Africa, Walid Sketty, accused Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir of insincerity, claiming that his administration has never published a comprehensive list of county employees.



“Politicians should stop inflaming public emotions for political gain. Nassir is speaking out, yet he has never published a list of individuals employed by the County Government of Mombasa,” they said.

KPA has recently faced criticism over allegations of biased employment practices that disadvantage coastal residents.

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