Good experiment for Public Sector; Nowergian take over as KAA chief

[RV Pundit]

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Kenya's private sector is doing great thanks to many foreign talent..Michael Joseph/Bob Collymore and many more running our banks/hotels/breweries etc. Public sector should not be afraid to tap into the world class talent available out there esp for senior management.This may bring a semblance of 60s and 70s when our public sector was not as corrupt as it currently is and actually were doing there job before Ndegwa commission allowed them to moonlight as businessmen.


http://www.nation.co.ke/business/Norwegian-takes-up-airports-top-job-five-months-after-hiring/996-3460232-7q89pj/index.html

[RVtitem]

I don't think this is good. It indicates that we are failures.

I believe the government hired an outsider because they couldn't find a politically correct Kenyan.

We should be looking at self reliance now and in future.

[RV Pundit]

Of course we have FAILeD.What should now care about is getting the best man for the job. Many countries hire expats - see Dubai - for world class experience. Some of these institutions are world class requiring world class talent. You cannot ran Jkia like kienyeji chicken and hope to compete with the best out there in the world.There are few jobs that constitution requires a kenyan - but for rest - we should not fear hiring best proffesors to ran our universities, the best judges to preside over cases, and name them. Private sector is doing the same - and nobody cares the color of the cat - as long as it catches the mices.

I don't think this is good. It indicates that we are failures.

I believe the government hired an outsider because they couldn't find a politically correct Kenyan.

We should be looking at self reliance now and in future.

[Georgesoros]

Very few patriots left in Kenya. Govt has become a source of wealth. Uhuru borrows for development but it disappears on its way, but the loans have to be paid in 15yrs. Its the culture where you think individally instead of communally.

[Empedocles]

Of course we have FAILeD.What should now care about is getting the best man for the job. Many countries hire expats - see Dubai - for world class experience. Some of these institutions are world class requiring world class talent. You cannot ran Jkia like kienyeji chicken and hope to compete with the best out there in the world.There are few jobs that constitution requires a kenyan - but for rest - we should not fear hiring best proffesors to ran our universities, the best judges to preside over cases, and name them. Private sector is doing the same - and nobody cares the color of the cat - as long as it catches the mices.

I don't think this is good. It indicates that we are failures.

I believe the government hired an outsider because they couldn't find a politically correct Kenyan.

We should be looking at self reliance now and in future.

This is PR driven, just like Moi's dream team of yore. Studying why the dream-team failed give clues on why simply appointing a new "clean" foreigner to run the KAA is destined to fail:

But in the process and in trying to seal the corruption loophole, the team stepped on many powerful and/or politically connected toes and by early 2001, it became obvious that its expiry date was close at hand. Leakey was sidelined in the making of such major decisions as excision of forest land and re-introduction of visas for tourists. It was clear that in the unlikely event that they were to see their first term of office through, their contracts would not be renewed.

https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000105011/headed-by-richard-leakey-the-dream-team-made-up-of-six-members-was-mired-in-controversy-and-got-disbanded-in-less-than-two-years/?pageNo=2

Without a serious and sustained war against the entrenched corruption cartels who run the country, Neo Mr. Andersen has already failed.

[Georgesoros]

I have to disagree with you on this one.
Safaricom became what it is because of professionalism.
Maybe KAA will shift to professionalism.

Of course we have FAILeD.What should now care about is getting the best man for the job. Many countries hire expats - see Dubai - for world class experience. Some of these institutions are world class requiring world class talent. You cannot ran Jkia like kienyeji chicken and hope to compete with the best out there in the world.There are few jobs that constitution requires a kenyan - but for rest - we should not fear hiring best proffesors to ran our universities, the best judges to preside over cases, and name them. Private sector is doing the same - and nobody cares the color of the cat - as long as it catches the mices.

I don't think this is good. It indicates that we are failures.

I believe the government hired an outsider because they couldn't find a politically correct Kenyan.

We should be looking at self reliance now and in future.

This is PR driven, just like Moi's dream team of yore. Studying why the dream-team failed give clues on why simply appointing a new "clean" foreigner to run the KAA is destined to fail:

But in the process and in trying to seal the corruption loophole, the team stepped on many powerful and/or politically connected toes and by early 2001, it became obvious that its expiry date was close at hand. Leakey was sidelined in the making of such major decisions as excision of forest land and re-introduction of visas for tourists. It was clear that in the unlikely event that they were to see their first term of office through, their contracts would not be renewed.

https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000105011/headed-by-richard-leakey-the-dream-team-made-up-of-six-members-was-mired-in-controversy-and-got-disbanded-in-less-than-two-years/?pageNo=2

Without a serious and sustained war against the entrenched corruption cartels who run the country, Neo Mr. Andersen has already failed.

[Globalcitizen12]

it the ownership structure.. GOK must sell of its holdings on these companies and let private sector run the show completely

[Georgesoros]

Am not sure why government is in business competing with business. They should be in refereeing business.
Thats why ther is so much cronyism.

it the ownership structure.. GOK must sell of its holdings on these companies and let private sector run the show completely

[Empedocles]

I have to disagree with you on this one.
Safaricom became what it is because of professionalism.
Maybe KAA will shift to professionalism.

Safaricom, the example you used, was founded on corruption, with the wheeler-dealers have a big stake in the company:

http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/-/539552/620880/-/view/printVersion/-/11cwhox/-/index.html

MJ knew them and kept quiet, otherwise he wouldn't be heading KQ today. He knows how things work.

Additionally, the massive corruption in Safaricom is ongoing, with our world famous tenderpreneurs helping out:

And that's only what we know so far.

Curiously, parliament seems to forgotten their investigation, maybe due to brown-envelope induced amnesia.

[Gumzo]

I have to disagree with you on this one.
Safaricom became what it is because of professionalism.
Maybe KAA will shift to professionalism.

Safaricom, the example you used, was founded on corruption, with the wheeler-dealers have a big stake in the company:

[/quote]

The biggest reason Safaricom became what it is today is Arap Nyayo's 5% MOBITELEA shares
it had all the political goodwill a company could ever want and continues to have the same today
due to Safaricom/Mshwari (CBA=Kenyatta) link
Safaricom could be the best example of a company founded from scratch on corruption


Respectfully

[RV Pundit]

Safom, KQ and many such companies have succeeded because they ceded their senior management to vodafone/KLM/etc -and this is what need to happen in public sector. We should not be afraid to tap into international talent out there esp in senior management - CEO/Finance/Procurement. Our lot is very corrupt and if we get good mix of international talent with local talent - our public sector may be as competitive as our private sector mix - and less corrupt.

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

Of course we have FAILeD.What should now care about is getting the best man for the job. Many countries hire expats - see Dubai - for world class experience. Some of these institutions are world class requiring world class talent. You cannot ran Jkia like kienyeji chicken and hope to compete with the best out there in the world.There are few jobs that constitution requires a kenyan - but for rest - we should not fear hiring best proffesors to ran our universities, the best judges to preside over cases, and name them. Private sector is doing the same - and nobody cares the color of the cat - as long as it catches the mices.

I don't think this is good. It indicates that we are failures.

I believe the government hired an outsider because they couldn't find a politically correct Kenyan.

We should be looking at self reliance now and in future.

Agreed.  At the end of the day, nobody eats patriotism.

[Empedocles]

Safom, KQ and many such companies have succeeded because they ceded their senior management to vodafone/KLM/etc -and this is what need to happen in public sector. We should not be afraid to tap into international talent out there esp in senior management - CEO/Finance/Procurement. Our lot is very corrupt and if we get good mix of international talent with local talent - our public sector may be as competitive as our private sector mix - and less corrupt.

Woah, let me stop you right here. I completely disagree with your statement. Our "lot" IS NOT very corrupt at all.

What stops a mzungu from acting on his greed is that in the western world, the laws are respected (more or less). Even senior Kenyan's employeed by multi-nationals around the world don't engage in corruption due to the consequences.

Here, as soon as one steals more than enough money, one is free to run for political office and lecture wanainchi on the merits of "hard work".

In the US, Madoff is in jail.

In Kenya, he'd be in politics, most likely holding a very senior office and dancing to entertain us during national holidays.

[Nefertiti]

Performance is not just about corruption but competence as well. E.g. KQ's main undoing is not corruption/fraud per se but mismanagement that has to do with poor strategic choices. So I agree we should follow Safaricom example and hire more world class MJ's, Leakey's etc. Folks with international CV to protect are the best.

[Empedocles]

Performance is not just about corruption but competence as well. E.g. KQ's main undoing is not corruption/fraud per se but mismanagement that has to do with poor strategic choices. So I agree we should follow Safaricom example and hire more world class MJ's, Leakey's etc. Folks with international CV to protect are the best.

KQ woes start and stop with corruption, whether it's the plainly obvious ones like completely unqualified KQ flight attendants who got their jobs by TKK or the damage done to KQ's reputation by the KAA with very shoddy facilities leading travelers to shun JKIA as a transit stop.

It's all tied together.

[Nefertiti]

Performance is not just about corruption but competence as well. E.g. KQ's main undoing is not corruption/fraud per se but mismanagement that has to do with poor strategic choices. So I agree we should follow Safaricom example and hire more world class MJ's, Leakey's etc. Folks with international CV to protect are the best.

KQ woes start and stop with corruption, whether it's the plainly obvious ones like completely unqualified KQ flight attendants who got their jobs by TKK or the damage done to KQ's reputation by the KAA with very shoddy facilities leading travelers to shun JKIA as a transit stop.

It's all tied together.

KQ's principal undoing is MISMANAGEMENT. Read incompetence. If you read per line you will find their fleet expansion was a great plan but poorly executed. Blind fuel hedging was the real stroke. Hiring crew by TKK... oh please, that is mismanagement not corruption. There has always been some corruption even at Safaricom just as KQ. Scared cow suppliers whatnot. The difference, besides industry dynamics, is the competence of the management. Airline business is really tough especially in recent years, you need to understand that.

Mbuvi the Cement accountant has been booted, he is to depart early 2017. I hope he is replaced with international caliber to team up with MJ.

[Empedocles]

Performance is not just about corruption but competence as well. E.g. KQ's main undoing is not corruption/fraud per se but mismanagement that has to do with poor strategic choices. So I agree we should follow Safaricom example and hire more world class MJ's, Leakey's etc. Folks with international CV to protect are the best.

KQ woes start and stop with corruption, whether it's the plainly obvious ones like completely unqualified KQ flight attendants who got their jobs by TKK or the damage done to KQ's reputation by the KAA with very shoddy facilities leading travelers to shun JKIA as a transit stop.

It's all tied together.

KQ's principal undoing is MISMANAGEMENT. Read incompetence. If you read per line you will find their fleet expansion was a great plan but poorly executed. Blind fuel hedging was the real stroke. Hiring crew by TKK... oh please, that is mismanagement not corruption. There has always been some corruption even at Safaricom just as KQ. Scared cow suppliers whatnot. The difference, besides industry dynamics, is the competence of the management. Airline business is really tough especially in recent years, you need to understand that.

Mbuvi the Cement accountant has been booted, he is to depart early 2017. I hope he is replaced with international caliber to team up with MJ.

Agree with you that mismanagement played a role in bringing KQ down but looking for the source of the mismanagement is what I prefer doing.

Let me explain it a bit simpler what I was trying to get accross; the all pervasive corruption is Kenya has to affect KQ's bottom line, whether it's expensive electricity at their head office due to corruption at the KPLC, etc.

Now, getting jobs at KQ using TKK is corruption:

Corruption is a form of dishonest or unethical conduct by a person entrusted with a position of authority, often to acquire personal benefit.

I personally know of a couple of people who got their jobs by TKK, I'm even the one who gave one of them a lift to her "interview" which she of course passed with flying colors after parting with 60k (this was in 2005). Now add those who got managerial positions using the same route, completely unqualified but ready to pay for play. Ever wondered why KQ has such a high turnover of HR staff?

Like I said, it's all tied together and I'm sorry that no amount of whitewashing is gonna make it look better. Corruption has permeated every single sector in Kenya, whether directly or indirectly.

[RV Pundit]

MJ says they are likely going for an expat for KQ. Hope this trend continues.
http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate-News/Mbuvi-s-exit-paves-the-way-for-return-of-an-expatriate-boss/539550-3464260-wkrinbz/index.html