A day after the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) suspended a popular commuter bus company, Super Metro, reports revealed that the company was still operational.
A spot check conducted by Kenyans.co.ke established that Super Metro minibuses were still operational and ferried passengers within Nairobi city.
The move comes on the back of a statement by NTSA cautioning Kenyans against boarding the minibuses with traffic police officers instructed to impound the vehicles found operating.
However, Super Metro officials, while addressing the press on Thursday afternoon, claimed that they were yet to be served with an official notice from NTSA notifying them about their suspension.
The officials attributed the lack of official communication from the Authority to their continued operation, further dismissing allegations of defiance.
“The reason you see Super Metro vehicles still operating is because the suspension has been announced, but there should be a notice,” said Kushian Muchiri, the Chief Executive Officer of the Federation of Public Transport Sector.
While lamenting the suspension, the firm’s owners also noted that the suspension did not include all Super Metro vehicles, maintaining that only a few were found to have contravened the law.
“All the Super Metro vehicles should not have been put on suspension because you cannot suspend the whole company just because of one crew,” noted another Super Metro official.
According to the company bosses, NTSA's decision was extreme and unjust, further warning that the decision risked rendering several Kenyans jobless.
The Authority on Thursday, March 20, announced the suspension of Super Metro over what it termed as non-compliance with the Public Service Vehicle Regulations.
“This is to notify the Public that the Authority has suspended Super Metro Limited’s operator licence until the Company fully complies with the Public Service Vehicles Regulations, 2014 and other set conditions,” NTSA announced.
“Members of the public are cautioned against boarding vehicles belonging to Super Metro Limited. The Traffic Department is required to impound vehicles belonging to the Company found operating contrary to the suspension.”
