The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has suspended a matatu driver and disengaged the conductor after a viral video showed the crew driving recklessly, with the conductor pushing a girl into a roadside ditch.
The incident sparked condemnation from the public, which occurred on December 31 at Riruta Satellite Primary School on the way to Kabiria, involving a matatu belonging to Raj SACCO, registered KDV 368F.
A video of the episode, shared on X and tagged to NTSA, showed the conductor swinging on the door and shoving the pedestrian while the vehicle drove dangerously along the road shoulders.
Moments later, the driver abruptly braked, putting other motorists at risk, with a car that was tailing the PSV van forced to apply emergency brakes to avoid ramming into the rear of the matatu.
According to some social media users on X, they blamed the matatu conductor for hanging from the doors, and the driver was veering into the road's shoulder, further endangering road users and the passengers.
This is even as some users slammed the individual who shared the video for being petty and stating that the pushed lady was solely to blame for walking on the road shoulders without care.
After reviewing the footage and conducting investigations, NTSA confirmed that both the driver and conductor had been disengaged by their Sacco, and the driver’s license was suspended after he failed a retest.
NTSA further urged members of the public to report reckless driving on Kenyan roads, providing the vehicle registration number, location, date, and time of the incident to aid enforcement.
"Both the driver and the conductor have been disengaged by the Sacco. The Driver's DL has also been suspended after he failed a retest," NTSA said.
The incident comes just a week after the safety authority ordered a mandatory retest for some drivers caught breaking traffic rules, following a viral video showing a Tahmeed bus dangerously overtaking passengers on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway.
In a statement shared on January 8, NTSA announced it traced the driver through the SACCO and directed him to retake the driving test, while urging Kenyans to report any cases of reckless driving.
"We contacted the SACCO, and the driver will undergo a retest today. Report any instances of reckless driving on our roads by providing details such as the vehicle's registration number, the location of the incident, and the date and time. We assure you that necessary action will be taken promptly," NTSA stated.
The video sparked outrage on social media, with many Kenyans condemning what appeared to be an overtaking race between the bus and another truck reportedly carrying muguka.
