-Kimkung, the general manager of Freight Forwarder Kenya Limited, succeeds John Msafari, the group administrative director at Alpha Group. Shippers Council of Eastern Africa (SCEA) chairperson Elizabeth Kimkung/ HANDOUT The Shippers Council of Eastern Africa (SCEA) has appointed Elizabeth Kimkung as its new chairperson at a time when geopolitical tensions, port congestion and rising regulatory pressures continue to weigh on the region’s logistics sector.
Kimkung, the general manager of Freight Forwarder Kenya Limited, succeeds John Msafari, the group administrative director at Alpha Group. The SCEA board elected her chairperson alongside Peter Busolo, who takes over as vice chairperson, on August 5, 2026. Her appointment comes as the shipping and logistics industry grapples with disruptions linked to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, growing cargo volumes at the Port of Mombasa and concerns over capacity constraints and delays.
SCEA chief executive Agayo Ogambi said Kimkung’s leadership would be critical in helping the industry navigate the increasingly uncertain operating environment. “Kimkung comes in when geopolitics and maritime continue to face unprecedented uncertainty, especially with the on-off Middle East crisis,” Ogambi said.
He said the sector was also facing challenges at the Port of Mombasa, where increased throughput was coming against capacity constraints, resulting in delays. Ogambi also raised concerns over the re-emergence of multiple government agencies at the port, despite a 2020 government directive seeking to limit the number of agencies intervening in cargo clearance and port operations.
“She is expected to shepherd and provide leadership in addressing this and many emerging regulatory charges being witnessed in the country,” Ogambi said. The new chairperson also takes over as the country approaches the next election, which SCEA says could have implications for regional cargo flows.