Panic at KPA over leave directive – Weekly Citizen

Panic has gripped Kenya Ports Authority chief officers and managers who have been issued with a circular to proceed on their annual leave.
Newly recruited KPA general manager human resources and administration Daniel Ogutu has cautioned them there will be no more accumulation of leave days.
He said the employees must follow the leave guideline every year that commences from January and end in December.

Ogutu

“All employees must be guided and hereby reminded to apply for their annual leave,” he pointed out.
Ogutu said the authority will be at liberty to carry forward a maximum of 15 days of leave into the next year.
In the staff circular, he cautioned that any days of leave more than the prescribed 15 days will be forfeited unless it is through KPA managing director Daniel Manduku’s approval.
Ogutu said the move will be in line with the recommendation from either the head of division or the head of department before the MD’s approval.
Ogutu said any request to carry forward pending leave days must be received at his office before February of each year.
Any request received thereafter will be deemed time barred and will not be processed.
“All employees with more than 45 days of leave will be required to proceed on leave during the leave year or forfeit their leave days,” he pointed out.
He said in his circular that this is similar to the rules by his predecessor Amani Komora in 2017 and urged them to prepare their annual leave rosters which will be a guideline for the management in planning staff annual leave.
Ogutu said in the circular that the benefits of taking leave after a prolonged busy working schedule cannot be emphasised.
A former vice-chairman at Salaries and Remuneration Commission, Ogutu was appointed last month to take over from Komora. The position fell vacant after Komora was appointed as one of the SRC commissioners several months ago.
He holds a Masters in Business Administration from the Eastern and Southern Africa management institute. Among other places, Ogutu has also worked at the directorate of personnel management and at internal security.
Oguto joins the port’s senior management team headed by Manduku. Other top managers at KPA include William Ruto, GM operations and harbour master, Edward Kamau, GM corporate affairs, Rashid Salim, GM engineering services Alfred Masha, GM infrastructure development and Addraya Dena, GM board and legal services.