Umoinner matatu kills two people three months after being impounded by NTSA
A commuter matatu belonging to Umoinner Sacco which was impounded by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) after it was captured on video being driven recklessly on Saturday night was involved in an accident that killed two people and injured two others.
The matatu christened ‘MasterMind’ which plies the Nairobi CBD-Umoja-Innercore route was impounded in September after a video clip went viral online showing the driver dangerously overtaking a minibus on the blind side, narrowly missing an oncoming boda boda rider.
“There were two fatalities after the driver of the matatu rammed into an immobile lorry that had been parked by the roadside along Jogoo road near Hamza estate just before curfew time,” a statement from police read.
The report added that the matatu driver hit a stalled truck killing two people who were hanging on the door and injuring two more who were rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition.
Nairobi News reached out to NTSA Head of Communications Dido Guyatu on why the matatu was allowed back on the road and if the driver’s licence was suspended.
This writer was however referred back to NTSA’s statement issued in September.
In the said statement, the authority said that the matatu had been impounded by the police and a prohibition order issued on it and was set to be subjected to a compliance inspection.
“The driving license and PSV license of the driver have been suspended for a period of six months. He will be required to undergo driver re-test for the authority to ascertain his competencies before the licenses are reinstated,” NTSA’s statement read in part.
Read: NTSA impounds Umoinner matatu that filmed being driven recklessly – VIDEO
NTSA also said it will conduct a mandatory road safety awareness and customer care training for all crew members and sacco officials in the coming week.
Earlier this month, a reckless matatu driver prompted the auctioning of his employer’s property to settle Sh21 million compensation to a passenger crippled in an accident eight years ago.
On October 12, 2012 the driver, John Kariuki, had crashed a matatu along Karatina-Mukurweini road in Nyeri which left the passenger paralysed.
Eight years later, the matatu owner, Mr Noor Ahmed, was ordered by the courts to pay Sh21,155,0082 for the accident he neither caused nor witnessed.
But since his driver John Kariuki was unable to compensate Kevin Ombangi, a university student at the time, for ruining his life, the court directed that his employer shoulders the burden.
On the particular day, Mr Kariuki had crashed into a ditch.
The accident left Mr Ombangi, then a 22-year-old student at the United States International University (USIU), with severe injuries that later crippled him.
Road carnage has risen sharply this year compared to last year despite reduced travel and movement resulting in more people working from home due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
General statistics documented by police and NTSA show that road fatalities between January and December this year stood at 3,663, compared to 3,508 during the same period last year.
Between January and December 13 this year, 3,663 people died on the road compared to 3,348 fatalities during the same period last year, translating to 215 fatalities.