This archive report was first published on 10 January 2020.
January 2 marked the end of the term of acting managing director Hudson Andambi at the Kenya Pipeline Company, leaving the state-owned agency without a leader.
Andambi's term had been extended twice, with his initial retirement date set for the end of December. However, a court case has now halted the appointment of his successor, plunging the company into a leadership vacuum.
According to sources, the managing director's office has been vacant since the start of the week, affecting critical operations at the company.
When questioned about his absence, Andambi declined to comment, directing the Business Daily to board chairman John Ngumi, who was equally evasive.
Ngumi wrote on Wednesday, 'On the issue of the MD, we will issue a statement in due course, but rest assured there is no management vacuum.'
Andambi's extended stay was due to the difficulty in finding a suitable replacement, with the board reportedly receiving only three qualified candidates from over 100 applicants.
The court case, filed by activist Okiya Omtatah, seeks to compel the KPC board to produce the score sheets showing how each member of the interviewing panel ranked candidates.
The absence of a managing director has complicated management at the Kenya Pipeline, where over 100 middle-level managers have been forced to take up acting roles after senior managers were arrested in 2018 over the loss of public funds totaling over Sh660 million.
