Murkomen Throws Plot Twist On Passenger Allegedly Stripped In Matatu

Transport Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen on Monday, May 22 revealed that the passenger who was allegedly stripped aboard a matatu that was bound for Nairobi was not female.

In a statement, Murkomen revealed that investigations conducted by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) found that the passenger in question was a man, not a woman as earlier reported.

The CS further noted that the passenger had fallen asleep after boarding the matatu in Meru town on its way to Nairobi and was still asleep by the time the matatu reached its final destination.

A Meru Luxury Shuttle matatu bound for Nairobi which was on the spot after a passenger was stripped in one of its vehicles on May 18, 2023. /TWITTER.ABUGA MAKORI

"A matatu registration no. KCS 747L belonging to Luxury Shuttle Tours & Travels Limited left Meru town at about 3.30 am on 18/05/2023 destined for Nairobi CBD with 14 passengers.

"The vehicle briefly stopped at Mwea Nice Rice shopping centre where the passengers paid fare except for one male passenger said to have been deeply asleep. On arrival at the Nairobi Tea Room, matatu terminus at approximately 10 am, the passengers alighted save for the male passenger who was still sleeping," stated Murkomen.

The passenger was woken up and instructed to pay but was reportedly seen to be confused and disoriented, thus did not pay the fare. It was when he began undressing that the matatu crew informed law enforcement officers on patrol in the area.

"Police officers on patrol were informed as the said passenger started undressing himself inside the said vehicle.  

"The officers escorted the vehicle and the passenger to Central police station, Nairobi where upon interrogation of the matter it was decided that the said passenger be returned back to Meru as he appeared unstable," he went on.

The driver of the said vehicle KCS 747L did proceed back to Meru with the passenger and handed him over to Meru Police Station where a report was recorded vide OB 105/18/05/2023. 

The police then let the passenger proceed home the following day as he appeared to have stabilized. 

"From this interaction, it appears that the said passenger has some mental challenges and for this reason, we have deliberately avoided sharing his pictures or his name and other personal details. 

"From the above facts, the information circulated in social media is distorted as investigations have not established a case as depicted in the media. The passenger in question is a male and not a woman," Murkomen confirmed, adding that the findings were shared with police in Meru for further follow-up on the matter.

Officials from the Sacco had denied that their colleagues were involved in undressing the passenger. Meru Luxury shuttle secretary Dan Kanyamu had also denied claims on social media that the passenger was female.

Kanyamu claimed that the middle-aged man had thereafter started undressing promoting the driver to drive to the Central Police Station to report the matter.

The officials nonetheless welcomed NTSA's move to investigate the matter following the reports that went viral on social media on Friday, May 19, which saved the business from being at risk of closure.