Confusion emerged when National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) lifted the suspension imposed on Modern Coast Express Limited bus company on July 25, 2022.
The suspension had been imposed after one of its buses had a fatal accident in Tharaka Nithi where 36 passengers lost their lives.
The Mombasa-bound bus from Meru lost control and plunged into River Nithi at the Nithi bridge in Tharaka Nithi County on July 24, 2022.
“The company has been suspended from operations and a thorough multi-agency investigation into the crash and an evaluation of the operator’s safety operational standards is currently underway,” NTSA announced in a public statement back then.
While the suspension was made public by the authority, there was no public communication when the company resumed operations.
Confusion arose when an almost similar accident happened in Kisii County on Wednesday, December 28.
A bus heading to Homa Bay was reported to have plunged into River Masosa at Makutano junction near Kisii Town.
Kenyans.co.ke spoke to Modern Coast Express Limited on when NTSA lifted the ban.
“We are sorry we cannot give you a definite answer at the moment but we will get back to you,” an official from the company told Kenyans.co.ke.
According to Nation, Coast traffic boss Peter Maina explained that the police department had not been told about the lifting of the suspension.
“We are yet to receive any official communication from NTSA regarding the lifting of the operator’s license,” Maina explained.
NTSA on its part did not release a public statement regarding the lifting of the ban.
This was not the first time there was confusion over NTSA lifting suspension on the bus company.
After a series of accidents, NTSA suspended Modern Coast buses on Dec 12, 2019.
The bus company resumed operations on December 17, 2019, after announcing that NTSA had lifted the suspension.
"We would like to clarify that we received a letter from NTSA lifting our suspension, hence the resumption of our operations," NTSA announced back then.
Hundreds of Kenyans rushed to book the buses with the majority penning to travel upcountry only for NTSA to deny lifting the ban.
"This is to notify members of the public that the suspension of Modern Coast Express has not been lifted,” NTSA said in a statement leaving passengers stranded in various booking stations across the country in 2019.
A total of 4,432 road users have died in accidents between January 1 and December 13 according to a report released by NTSA on December 22.
A total of 9,315 people were seriously injured while 6,691 were slightly injured during the same period.
