Celebrations rocked the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) headquarters in Mombasa on Monday, March 13 after the newly appointed Kenya ports Authority KPA managing director Captain Wiliam Ruto  arrived to begin his work.

KPA employees sang and danced to welcome Ruto, who they regarded as a diligent performer and one who values the rights of employees in the parastatal.

Ruto arrived at the KPA offices on Monday morning, held a meeting with the outgoing acting MD John Mwangemi and the authority's board chairperson Benjamin Dalu Tayari before addressing thousands of waiting union workers.

Ruto was appointed last week by Transport and Road Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.

 KPA had remained without a substantive boss for the past three years since the resignation of Dr Daniel Manduku on March 26, 2020 over graft allegations.

Speaking after taking over from outgoing MD Amb John Mwangemi Captain Ruto said his ambition is to ensure port operations are seamless especially when the facility is experiencing significant growth.

"I have no grudge with anyone, I have not come to haunt anyone, if there is anyone who I wronged, I ask for forgiveness, "said Ruto saying he will ensure workers deliver their jobs.

"We need to improve performance, we need to work hard, if you are lazy, you are not my friend, if you are a hard worker, we will be friends and all the demands that you have tabled will be addressed.

Ruto said he will plan how to break records, asking politicians to stay away from port operations that have been affecting services. He warned against absenteeism at work saying he will not hesitate to crack the whip.

"I will be paying a lot of attention to our stakeholders and development partners to ensure that we deliver a significant development in the facility, “said Ruto.

KPA board of directors chairman Benjamin Tayari confirmed that the board exercised fairness during the interviews for selection of the new MD.

Ruto, who has worked at KPA for 32 years after joining in 1991 as a Cadet Marine Deck Officer before rising through the ranks to be a General Manager, Operations and later a Harbour Master, was on Friday named the new substantive boss of the parastatal.

Until this appointment, he was the General Manager of the Kisumu Port.

On Friday, the Mombasa port community led by the Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association (Kifwa) national chairperson Roy Mwanthi, said they are optimistic that Captain Ruto will change operations at KPA.

“As a fraternity and practitioners in the clearing, forwarding and logistics sector, we are delighted to have Captain Ruto at the helm of KPA. He has been the general manager operations, he has been tried and tested, and found to be fit,” said Mwanthi.