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Nyeri Governor Kahiga employs sacked matatu driver


A matatu driver who informed police that some passengers who happened to be students were smoking bhang in his vehicle has landed a new job with the county government after he was reportedly sacked by the Sacco.

John Muthoni is said to have lost his job after driving students who were smoking bhang into Sagana Police Station.

But he can now smile after Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga promised to employ him.

Two weeks ago, Muthoni claimed he’d been fired for driving the students to Sagana Police Station after they smoked and drunk alcohol in his vehicle.

The incident reportedly happened at 11am when students boarded his vehicle in Karatina town, Nyeri County.

But as soon as the journey began, Muthoni said he had a strong smell of bhang.

Upon checking the rear-view mirror, he saw the students smoking and drinking alcohol.

“I pulled over and warned them against their behaviour,” he told Nairobi News.

The students, however, threatened him, as others asked him to mind his business.

He decided to drive into Sagana Police Station.

However, the students jumped out of the vehicle, with some leaving their belongings.

“One of the six bags they left behind had alcohol,” he said.

However, when he reported the matter to his employers as per the protocol, they castigated him. “I was told that I had embarrassed the Sacco making it a laughing stock,” he said.

DCI George Kinoti is among those who have termed the decision to sack the driver as discriminatory and unjust.

On Tuesday, Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga promised to employ him as a driver in the devolved unit during a meeting at the county headquarters.

In his Facebook post, the governor said he wished to celebrate the driver for reporting students to the police.

“I wish to celebrate John Maina Muthoni, formerly of 2NK, a heroic driver who courageously reported students upon realising that they were smoking bhang and drinking alcohol. We condemn drug abuse at the highest level. My government will offer you a position as a driver in one of our departments,” the governor wrote on his official Facebook page,” Kahiga wrote.

However, on Monday, the 2NK Sacco board of directors have denied terminating his employment.

The Sacco chairman James Kahiro said the driver’s name is still in the NTSA portal and that the driver’s name has not been scrapped from Sacco’s documents.

He said Muthoni failed to remit Sh2,100 to the Matatu owner and will resume work as soon as he clears the money.

Kahiro said on the day, the fare rate from Karatina to Nairobi was Sh400 per passenger but Muthoni only reemitted Sh250 per passenger.

He said Muthoni was booked to drive to Ruai but changed and travelled to Nairobi after getting the student passengers.

Kahiro said upon probing by the relevant 2NK Sacco accounting officers, why his last remittance was less, he became unruly.

“His case being one of gross misconduct, we then referred it to the board of directors’ disciplinary committee. The board determined and requested Muthoni to settle the matter of the unremitted money with the actual owner of the vehicle,” he said.

Muthoni has been trending after he took to his social media accounts where he claimed that he lost his job as a 2NK driver for reporting the students to the police.

He also alleged that the Sacco was harassing him for the action.

Kahiga termed drug abuse as a crime that has disheartened many parents and messed with the lives of the youth.