Thirteen people are nursing injuries at the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital after a bus they were traveling in was involved in a road accident on the Mombasa-Nairobi highway.
The accident occurred in the Kibarani area after the bus belonging to Tahmeed Coach, which was headed from Mombasa to Nairobi, reportedly developed brake failure and rammed into several vehicles, including a matatu plying the Mombasa-Mikindani route.
According to passengers, the driver allegedly jumped off the moving bus moments after realizing the brakes had failed, leading to the collision.
“Nilikua nimesimama nikishukisha abiria, then nikaona gari la Tahmeed inarudi na reverse baada ya kushindwa kupanda mlima likaja likatugonga,” the matatu driver Eric Mwanzau explained.
Fedmond Robert, an injured passenger, added, “Nilikua ndani ya matatu nyuma ya dereva and around 7:30 pm nikaona ile bus, nafikiri ililoose brakes ikatugonga,” said
Newly appointed National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) chairman, Khatib Mwashetani, visited the injured victims at Coast General Hospital. He has since directed a fresh inspection of all Tahmeed buses.
“We will first investigate the Tahmeed Bus and ensure we revoke their licence so that they explain…kuna watu wamezembea, wenye magari, madereva and those doing inspection because most accidents occur because of malfunction,” said Mwashetani.
Mwashetani also called on all public service vehicle owners and drivers to prioritize the safety of passengers, saying NTSA will soon launch a nationwide inspection exercise to curb such incidents.
