Mrs. Nancy W. Karigithu, CBS,
Principal Secretary
State Department Of Shipping And Maritime

Mrs. Karigithu is currently the Principal Secretary, State Department for Shipping and Maritime in the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing, Urban Development and Public Works. Before her present appointment, Mrs. Karigithu was working as a short term legal expert for the European Union (EU) project Critical Maritime Routes, aimed at enhancing Maritime situational awareness in the Indian Ocean.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Nairobi and a master’s degree in International Maritime law from the IMO International Maritime Law Institute, Malta. She was the Director General (DG) of Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) where she served for nine (9) years and currently sits on the Board of Governors of the World Maritime University (WMU), based in Malmo, Sweden.

She has a working experience of 30 years, 26 of them in the Maritime Industry.  Other previous work experience includes working as a Stint State Counsel in the Office of the Attorney General, Senior Legal Officer at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) where she rose to the post of an acting Assistant Corporation Secretary. She was also involved in the setting up and launch of the Association of Women in the Maritime Sector in Eastern & Southern Africa (WOMESA) where she served for two terms as a Chairperson and now sits on the governing council. WOMESA is a first regional body which brings together women professionals in the maritime sector of 26 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa.

She was instrumental in organizing the first ever Heads of Maritime Administrations and Ship Registrars Conference held in Mombasa, Kenya in October 2013, and which has since formed into the Association of Maritime Administration in Africa.

Mrs. Karigithu also organized the first National Maritime Conference which took place in February, 2015 and brought together key stakeholders of the International Maritime Industry to Kenya.

Recently, Mrs. Karigithu was feted and honored for honorary fellowship by the World Maritime University during the Graduation Ceremony which was held in 3^rd November, 2019 in Malmo, Sweden because of her distinguished service in the maritime sector.