Silvester is the Executive Director/ CEO of the African Centre for Transport, Infrastructure and Regional Integration (ACTIRI).
Recently, he served as the Director General/ CEO of LAPSSET Corridor Development Authority (a state corporation of the government of Kenya) between February 2013 and February 2021, being the inaugural Director General and Chief Executive Officer.
As the head of the corporation, he was responsible for leadership in the execution of the mandate of the corporation which were;
planning, coordinating and managing the implementation of the LAPSSET Corridor’s 7
infrastructure Project Components, namely; Lamu Port, Railway and road networks connecting Ethiopia and South Sudan to Lamu Port, Airports, Resort Cities, Crude oil Pipelines from South Sudan, Uganda and Kenya oil fields to Lamu Port and a planned refinery in Kenya. Some of his accomplishments while at the LCDA include but not limited to: Establishing the LCDA; spearheading the construction of Lamu Port’s first three berths; design and construction of LAPSSET Corridor highways; Master planning of Lamu Port, Lamu Special Economic Zone and the New Lamu Industrial City; preparation of an Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan for the development of Lamu Port, International Airport, SEZ and Lamu Metropolis; negotiating and development partners support for LAPSSET Corridor Projects (AfDB – NEPAD-IPPF, EU, DfID,
WWF, UNECA among others); Up-scaling of LAPSSET Corridor Program to an Africa Union (AU) PIDA Project and Presidential Infrastructure Championship Initiative (PICI); Transaction Advisory Services (for the Lamu Port, Lamu SEZ;, Design studies for LAPSSET Corridor Crude and refined Oil Pipelines and LAPSSET Corridor Railways; preparation of Environmental and Social Impact assessment studies and Strategic Environmental assessment studies; setting up and co-managing bilateral frameworks for projects with partner states of Ethiopia and South Sudan.
Until February 2013, Silvester was The Secretary for Infrastructure and LAPSSET Corridor Project Secretariat at the former Office of the Prime Minister. While at the Office of the Prime Minister, Silvester undertook several complex assignments among them: Restructuring of the Kenya /Uganda Railway Concession, coordinating the establishment of the LAPSSET Corridor projects; creation of new state corporations such as KeNTRADE, Nuclear Energy Board, LCDA; crafting of new Integrated National Transport Policy, and infrastructure sector plans, and Public Private Partnerships Policy; and spearheading new infrastructure development projects such as the Standard Gauge Railways (SGR). Silvester is also a Lecturer at the University of Nairobi, School of the Built Environment since February 2003.
Silvester has a wealth of experience and expertise in infrastructure and services management policy which he has gained over the years through leadership and work experience in government, academia, research, consultancy and policy advisory services covering governments, private sector and development partners. In the private sector, Mr. Kasuku has been a renowned international Consultant in and outside Kenya where he has undertaken various assignments in Infrastructure and Transport Policy Analysis and development, Institutional and Legal Reform and studies on Infrastructure projects for over to 24 years.
Silvester was hired by the Government of Kenya as a Consultant/ Technical Advisor with the assistance of the World Bank between 2003–2008, to steer the Kenya Roads Sector Institutional and Legal Reform. The reform process included undertaking institutional diagnostic studies, formulation of appropriate institutional framework for road infrastructure Planning, Design, Construction, Maintenance, Financing and Regulation. Silvester’s work resulted to the establishment of the existing three Roads Authorities (Kenya National Highways Authority KeNHA, Kenya Urban Roads Authority KURA and Kenya Rural Roads Authority KeRRA). Between April 2003 and March 2004, Silvester was appointed by the Ministry of Transport, Government of Kenya as Transport Sector Policy Expert Lead Member for the National Transport Policy Committee that formulated the Integrated National Transport Policy for Kenya, covering all modes of transport (Road, Air, Maritime, Railways and Pipeline).
In his work with Development Partners, Silvester has since 2002 been an Environmental and Social Development Consultant, for The World Bank Infrastructure Projects in Kenya and Tanzania, namely (i) Northern Corridor Transport Improvement Project covering Roads, Airports, and Railways, Emergency Rehabilitation Programme for infrastructure. (ii) Technical Assessment of the World Bank, Non-motorized roads projects in Kenya and Tanzania (iii) World Bank Michinoeki (Roadside Stations) Pilot Study in Kenya and China where he was a Team Member and the Lead Local Consultant in the Project in collaboration with Mitsubishi Research Institute, Japan. This research resulted to a World Bank Publication on Michinoeki Guidelines Report.
In December 2012, H.E the President of the Republic of Kenya bestowed Silvester with the prestigious national honour and award of the Moran of the Burning Spear (MBS) for the distinguished service he has rendered to the Kenyan nation. Silvester is a member of various Professional Societies. He is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Logistics and Transport (CMILT), He is a Corporate Member of the Architectural Association of Kenya -Town Planners Chapter (MAAK-TP), Corporate Member of the Kenya Institute of Planners (KIP), Corporate Member of the Town and Country Planners Association of Kenya.
Silvester is a Registered Lead Expert with National Environmental Management Authority – Kenya. Silvester is published in both academic and professional journals.