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Githurai killer bus in Kericho accident lacked NTSA permit – police


A Githurai Traveller Sacco bus that crashed at the Kericho junction to Kisumu, killing three people, did not have a permit from the National Transport and Safety Authority.

The area’s deputy police boss, Mr Nathan Sanya, said investigations by his team had shown that the bus was plying a new route with authorisation from its sacco only.

“We have not seen any clearance from the National Transport and Safety Authority. The bus only had a letter from the sacco allowing it to ply this route,” he said.

The accident happened on Christmas night as it descended a slope from Kericho Town.

DRIVER ESCAPED

The driver escaped from the scene and is still at large.

Several passengers who jumped out of the vehicle have not been accounted for.

The 52-seater bus that normally plies the Githurai 45-Nairobi route and uses the Thika Superhighway was transporting passengers to Kisumu for Christmas and New Year festivities when the incident occurred.

Mr Moses Mureithi, a Kericho resident, said he witnessed two passengers jump out of the moving vehicle near the Ndege Chai building, moments before crashing into an oncoming lorry as it negotiated spikes at a roadblock.

“When we saw them jump out, we were alarmed. We attempted to stop the bus by throwing some rocks on the wheels but it did not stop,” he said.

TOO LATE

He added that some boda boda riders had rushed to inform the police at the roadblock not to stop the vehicle. It was, however, too late.

County police commander James Mugera told the Nation that the brakes of the bus failed before the driver lost control of the vehicle.