Portland Cement Factory Suspends Operations Over MD Appointment Dispute

(Athi River) – Workers at the East Africa Portland Cement Company (EAPCC) in Athi River, Kenya, staged a protest on Monday, December 23, 2024, shutting down the plant in response to the appointment of a new Managing Director. The workers allege that the appointment process was biased and fraught with irregularities.

The protest, which involved shutting down machinery and blocking the factory entrance with heavy machinery, occurred two days after President Ruto appointed Mr. Bruno O. Obodha as the new Managing Director on Friday, December 20, 2024. Mr. Obodha was set to assume the position previously held by Mr. Mohammed Osman Adan, who served as the acting Managing Director.

On Monday, protesting workers disabled machinery and barricaded the main factory gate, effectively halting production. Mr. Obodha did not arrive at the factory as expected due to the ongoing demonstrations. Throughout the day, no trucks were permitted to enter or leave the premises, while armed police officers, typically stationed to guard the facility, observed the situation.

In a statement to the media outlets, the employees expressed their lack of confidence in the newly appointed Managing Director. They cited potential conflicts of interest and questioned Mr. Obodha’s technical expertise, arguing that he lacks the necessary qualifications to steer the company back to profitability after years of losses.

The workers’ statement, read by employee Mr. Alex Muluwa, highlighted concerns about Mr. Obodha’s involvement with a company that directly transacts with EAPCC through land control. They argued that this creates a conflict of interest that could compromise impartiality and transparency in his decision-making as Managing Director.

The statement also emphasized that during interviews conducted in November 2024, the acting Managing Director, Mr. Mohammed Aden, had emerged as the top candidate with the highest scores.

Information obtained by Taifa Leo from a special board of directors meeting held at the company’s Taj Towers offices on Friday, November 22, 2024, indicated that Mr. Mohammed Osman Adan had received a score of 88.15%, followed by Mr. Bruno O. Obodha with 64%, and Dr. Justa Mwangi with 63.86%.

The protesting workers are calling on President Ruto and the Head of Public Service to appoint a more qualified individual to the position. They have vowed to continue their protests until their grievances are addressed.

Mr. Mohammed Adan was appointed by the board as acting Managing Director on March 26, 2024, succeeding Mr. Oliver Kirubai. Mr. Mohammed has worked at Portland, rising through the ranks to become head of finance over the past three years.