Former Kenya Pipeline managing director Joe Sang is formally back at the helm of Kenya Pipeline, in the latest shake-up in state corporations by President William Ruto. 

Sang has been appointed acting managing director effective Monday (January 23),  Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) chairperson chairperson Faith Boinett said in a statement.

He takes over from Irungu Macharia whose three-year contract expired on January 1, with the board opting not to renew it.

Sang makes a return to the Kenya Pipeline four years after he was forced to resign in December 2018, under unclear circumstances, and later arrested together with other senior managers.

They were charged in court with alleged loss of funds in the construction of the Sh1.7 billion Kisumu Oil Jetty project that was at the time also seen as a white elephant. 

In December, Sang was acquitted alongside former company secretary Gloria Khafafa, general manager supply chain Vincent Cheruiyot, procurement manager Nicholas Gitobu, GM infrastructure Billy Aseka and general manager finance Samuel Odoyo.

The court ruled that no funds were lost and that the project, which has since become operational, was well-planned.

The KPC board said it has settled on Sang based on his previous track record.

According to the chairperson, Sang’s brief “but highly effective” tenure at KPC (2016-2018) saw remarkable changes in the management and performance of the state corporation.

According to the board, Sang's tenure saw a continuous rise in profit, which culminated with a record earning after tax of Sh8.6 billion in 2018, a year that profit before tax closed at a high of Sh12.4 billion.

This was the highest profit in the 45-year history of the company.

Sang's appointment, she says, was in consultation with the parent ministry which determined that he was the most suitable person to be appointed to the position.

He served as general manager finance and strategy at KPC before being appointed managing director.

Ruto's administration has so far made major changes in state agencies' leadership.

These include the appointment of former Kinango MP Benjamin Tayari as chair of Kenya Ports Authority,  replacing Gen (Rtd) Joseph Kibwana and changes at Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya Maritime Authority among other key parastatals.