NTSA Goes After Modern Coast Bus After Accident That Killed 34
The authority also announced that it is investigating the accident that claimed at least 34 lives.
Marvin Chege 
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has suspended operations of all Modern Coast Buses after the grisly road accident at River Nithi along the Meru-Nairobi highway on Sunday, July 24.
NTSA Director General George Njao revealed in a press statement on Monday, July 25 that all 31 buses operating under the company traversing all the seven routes had been halted from operations.
The authority also announced that it is investigating the accident that claimed at least 34 lives.
"Following a fatal road traffic crash that occurred on Sunday 24th July 2022 at the Nithi Bridge, Tharaka Nithi County that has since claimed the lives of 33 passengers, the Authority hereby halts the operations of Modern Coast Express Limited.
"A thorough multi-agency investigation into the crash and an evaluation of the operator's safety operational standards is currently underway. We condole with the families of those who lost their loved ones in this tragic crash and wish a quick recovery to those undergoing treatment," read the statement in part.
The routes affected are Nairobi-Mombasa, Mombasa-Mtwapa - Kilifi - Malindi - Witu - Mpeketoni - Lamu as well as Nairobi-Nakuru - Kisumu - Kakamega - Busia.
The other four routes are Nairobi - Nakuru - Kisumu - Eldoret - Malaba, Nairobi-Narok - Kisii - Homabay - Migori - Isibania, Mombasa - Makindu - Wote - Kitui - Machakos and Nairobi - Thika - Embu - Meru - Maua.
The crash whose death toll has now hit 34 came after Kenyans had initially complained of the ill-fated bus, whose registration number is KCF 614U, since 2016.
The complaints pointed out to the same bus that was driven carelessly on various roads on multiple occasions, prompting passengers to pressure authorities to take it off the roads. In December 2016 for instance, the bus was reported to be hooting loudly while in traffic and being on the road without backlights.
"The second one was KCF 614U, it hit a stationary truck on the Mombasa-Malindi Highway - one fatality in the driver. The bus was refurbished and is back on the road," Anjeyo Ananda wrote on December 31, 2017.
In December 2016, a viral clip captured another Modern Coast bus overlapping and speeding downhill on the wrong lane at the infamous Nithi Bridge black spot, sparking an uproar that led to the firing of the driver. The company also apologised by saying they had presented the driver to the NTSA for the cancellation of his license.
The company has since issued a statement offering condolences to the families of the deceased and quick recovery to those injured and undergoing treatment. It noted that it was still establishing the cause of the accident.
Speaking to the media, Tharaka Nithi County Police Commander Donatha Chali revealed that the bus driver had approached the Nithi Bridge at high speed and ignored the traffic warnings to motorists to slow down.
She also revealed that the bridge is a known black spot and had claimed many lives before the accident. The Mombasa-bound bus had veered off the bridge after the driver lost control of it.
Media reports had indicated that the bus' brakes had failed, causing it to hit the guard rails of the bridge and plunge into the river. It then rolled several times downhill before stopping beside the river.
An image of the Modern Coast bus that plunged into the Nithir River after veering off Nithi bridge on Sunday, July 24, 2022. /MERU DAILY NEWS
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