A rogue conductor was arrested and detained at Kasarani Police Station for grilling after he was recorded harassing a female passenger along Thika Road.
In a video that surfaced online on Wednesday, the man was seen dragging the lady by the arm along Thika Road near Safari Park Hotel.
During the scuffle, the lady appeared resistant and attempted to rescue herself from the tout's grasp. She was, however, thrown off balance after the conductor slapped her and let her fall to the concrete pavement.
While attempting to get up and confront the conductor, the victim could be heard complaining that the bus had dropped her off far from her intended stage, offering clues to the cause of the altercation.
After regaining her balance, the aggrieved lady rushed towards the conductor while wailing and questioning why he hit her, yet he was the one at fault.
She also threw her belongings to the ground in frustration and continued making a scene, hoping to force an answer from the conductor.
At that time, the tout was already rushing towards the vehicle, oblivious that the altercation had attracted onlookers.
Passers-by, who feared for the woman's safety, rushed to her rescue in an effort to protect her from suffering further at the hands of the rogue tout. The well-wishers were recorded running towards the conductor, who continued running away in fear for his life.
As the drama unfolded, the passengers inside the vehicle maintained their positions and only stared out the window, shocked about the ordeal. It was not revealed whether the passersby got a hold of the conductor.
Responding to the incident, the Sacco apologised to its customers, informing them that the culprit was arrested.
"The two disagreed after the lady was dropped off far from her stage. We assure you that disciplinary is being taken on the guy," read part of a statement from the management.
However, it dismissed claims that the culprit was one of its staff. Nonetheless, it was unclear how he was allowed to operate inside the vehicle to the point of harassing a female passenger.
To avoid being caught in a similar saga in the future, the Sacco revealed it was considering introducing uniforms for their drivers and conductors. It also assured its customers that such an incident would not occur again.
The video elicited mixed reactions, with a section of Kenyans concerned about similar incidents occurring without being reported. Others added that the assault of the woman should catalyze the enactment of proper regulations to guide matatu operators.
More concerned parties urged the government to set up better pickup stages and regulate Saccos accused of failing to adhere to traffic laws.
