A wave of controversy continues to sweep across the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) following explosive allegations surrounding a Sh100 billion tender scandal, with former union officials and politicians locked in a fierce blame game over what they say is a politically motivated attack on the authority’s leadership.
Former officials of the Dock Workers Union (DWU) have strongly defended KPA Managing Director Captain William Ruto, denouncing the corruption allegations as a calculated smear campaign tied to political rivalries at the national level.
Speaking during a press briefing outside the main KPA gate in Mombasa County, the former unionists claimed that it has become routine for corruption scandals to surface whenever the contract of a sitting managing director is due for renewal.
“It’s not the first time. A scandal suddenly emerges just when the MD’s term is up for renewal,”
said Paul Abisa, a former DWU official, flanked by fellow ex-official Wycliffe Baraza.
Abisa accused unnamed “cartels” of orchestrating the allegations and manipulating sections of the media to malign Captain Ruto’s name.
“These are saboteurs and jealous business interests who are uncomfortable with the progress at KPA,”
he said.
The group, claiming to speak on behalf of over 7,000 workers at the port, dismissed the story—first reported by a local daily—as lacking credibility and facts. Baraza further added that port employees are ready to raise their voices in defense of Captain Ruto, whose leadership they credit with significant operational improvements.
“The accusations are nothing more than wild allegations, misinformation and deliberate disinformation,”
Baraza said, citing key performance indicators such as improved ship turnaround time and a sharp reduction in container dwell time.
According to the former officials, the port’s performance has surged under Ruto’s leadership, with the handling capacity increasing from 1.4 million to over 2 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs)—a key metric in port operations.
Other voices have also weighed in. Edwin Mageto, a crane operator at the port, vowed to resist any external interference with KPA’s operations.
“We won’t allow outsiders with hidden agendas to destroy the good work being done here,”
he said.
Politicians have not stayed on the sidelines. Jomvu MP Badi Twalib described the tender scandal claims as a “witch-hunt” aimed at derailing Ruto’s tenure.
“It is no coincidence that these accusations are surfacing now. This is clearly an orchestrated effort to settle political scores,”
he said.
In a sharp contrast, former Chief Justice David Maraga—speaking at an unrelated function in Kwale County over the weekend—raised concerns about growing corruption in government institutions, suggesting the KPA scandal was symptomatic of broader systemic issues.
“The looting of public funds has become deeply entrenched, and what we are witnessing at KPA could be part of that pattern,”
he warned.
As the controversy unfolds, the KPA board and relevant government oversight bodies are yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
For now, the scandal remains a potent mix of allegations, counterclaims, and political intrigue—with the truth likely to be as contested as the billion-shilling tender at its center.
