KPA cautions public over job scams, clarifies e-recruitment process hitch

Kenya Ports Authority headquarters in Mombasa/ KPA

Kenya Ports Authority has put members of the public on alert over fraudulent schemes involving individuals circulating fake offer letters and demanding payments under the pretext of recruitment.

This is on the back of an ongoing recruitment process for jobs advertised on My Gov on November 25, 2025, which cuts across different departments.

“It has come to our attention that fraudsters are distributing counterfeit documents purportedly from the authority to extort money from unsuspecting job seekers,” KPA management said in a notice.

The authority has also clarified the recent concerns over alleged system failure, where a section of the public decried a hitch in the aptitude tests. It has reached out to candidates to reschedule tests. 

“KPA wishes to clarify that the ongoing recruitment process is not yet complete. All successful candidates will be contacted exclusively through official KPA communication channels upon finalisation of the process,” it said.

The recruitment process is reported to have attracted at least 531,000 candidates who applied for the 296 vacant positions advertised late last year.

The vacancies cut across engineering, marine, medical and administrative departments, as the authority pushes to strengthen institutional capacity as it works to position the Port of Mombasa as a competitive regional hub.

KPA, which manages and regulates sea and inland waterway ports across Kenya, said the new vacancies are aimed at boosting efficiency, enhancing operational reliability and supporting its long-term strategic goals.

The Port of Mombasa currently connects directly to more than 80 global ports and serves a vast hinterland that includes Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, DR Congo, Tanzania, South Sudan, Somalia, and Ethiopia.

It is seeking to onboard artisans, technicians, assistant ferry masters, coxswains, seamen (tug mates), mooring assistants, laboratory technologists, pharmaceutical technologists, pharmacy attendants, graduate trainees and administrative assistants.

The roles span several grades, with most positions offered under pensionable terms of service.

KPA directed all applicants to submit their applications exclusively through its online careers portal as it embraces an e-recruitment process which streamlines hiring by among others, reducing time-to-hire and costs associated with traditional methods, such as printing and agency fees.

It also expands the applicant pool, improves candidate quality through targeted sourcing and allows for automated, efficient screening and data management. It also enhances company branding and provides better convenience for both recruiters and applicants. 

“Further, KPA DOES NOT, under any circumstances, charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process including application, interviews or document processing. Any request for payment, whether for "facilitation," "processing," or any other purpose, is a clear attempt to defraud,” it warned.

Such requests should be ignored entirely, KPA said, noting the authority will not be held liable for any losses, damages, or misrepresentations arising from such fraudulent activities.

“We advise all job seekers to rely only on information from our official communication channels including our website and our verified social media platforms,” it said.

A fake offer letter seen by the Star, for instance, for the position of an administrative assistance, indicates one Bradley Kipruto has been offered a job on a six-year fixed-term contract, with his purported employment start date being March 2, which KPA has since labeled “Fake”.