National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) on Saturday, May 27, appealed to the members of the public to help it track a matatu whose tout manhandled a female passenger.
The authority asked Kenyans to share the registration number of the public service vehicle (PSV) for it to be tracked and necessary action taken.
"Kindly share with us the registration number of the vehicle," NTSA wrote.
Before NTSA's reactions, the video had gone viral on various social media platforms, with a section of Kenyans imploring the Ministry of Transport and relevant stakeholders to intervene.
The tout was recorded accusing the female passenger of not paying the bus fare. The confrontation escalated, compelling the tout to forcefully drag out the passenger from the vehicle.
A law enforcement officer was recorded watching the scuffle that ensued. He later tried to intervene but did not restrain the conductor. Despite the policeman's presence, the tout ignored the cop and threw out the passenger's luggage. Other passengers also watched helplessly as the passenger was dragged out.
However, it was not immediately established when the incident happened. Still, Kenyans called for immediate intervention from the stakeholders to address what they said was slowly turning into a crisis in Nairobi.
A section of Kenyans online opined that the matatu industry should draft new measures to address issues relating to noncompliance and passengers refusing to pay due fares.
Others implored other passengers to intervene to prevent the surge in commuters being thrown out of matatus leading to deaths and serious injuries.
In May 2023, NTSA and police apprehended a tout attached to Embassava Sacco, accused of throwing a 17-year-old boy out of a moving bus.
The boy died following the injuries he sustained in the incident along Outeting Road on Wednesday, May 17. Irate residents later torched the Embassava bus.
"The Embasava conductor has been arrested and handed over to the cops by NTSA in Nairobi. The police are expected to prefer charges against him," the official stated.
However, while responding to the unfortunate event, the bus driver and the Sacco claimed that the passenger was reaching for his fallen phone and was not assaulted as claimed.
