NTSA summons officials of two bus firms over Murang’a violence
Neo Kenya Mpya and Joy Kenya buses in Nairobi. NTSA has summoned officials of the two bus companies of the chaos in Kenol, Murang'a.
What you need to know:
- The chaos witnessed on Sunday in Kenol town, Murang’a County, left two people dead.
- In response to the announcement by NTSA, Neo Kenya Mpya said it was not involved in any way in the mayhem that occurred in Kenol.
- MPs Alice Wahome (Kandara) and Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), are wanted by police following the chaos in Kenol.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has summoned officials of Neo Kenya Mpya Commuters Limited and Joy Kenya Services Limited following chaos witnessed on Sunday in Kenol town, Murang’a County, which left two people dead.
NTSA wants officials of the two bus companies to shed light on the chaotic incidents.
“In implementation of the PSV Regulations, 2014, and in consultation with the Inspector-General (of Police), the authority has summoned officials of Neo Kenya Mpya Commuters Limited and Joy Kenya Services Limited to appear before it to provide an insight into the incidents reported to have occurred [in] Kenol, Murang’a County, on Sunday, 4th October, 2020,” NTSA said Monday.
In response to the announcement by NTSA, Neo Kenya Mpya said it was not involved in any way in the mayhem that occurred in Kenol.
“Our management, directorship, staff, buses and resources were not used in any way to facilitate the occurrences [in] Kenol. We completely distance ourselves from any political affiliations and activities as they are not part of our core business,” the company said in a statement.
Arrest perpetrators
Following the chaos, Police IG Hilary Mutyambai directed the Internal Affairs Unit director and two senior Directorate of Criminal Investigations detectives to investigate the matter with a view to bringing the perpetrators to book.
He also discouraged political leaders from making inciting utterances and ordered the vehicles used to ferry goons to the venue tracked and detained to assist in investigations.
The chaos happened in the morning before the arrival of Deputy President William Ruto for a church service and fundraiser.
Jubilee Party is divided into two factions — Kieleweke, which supports President Uhuru Kenyatta, and Tangatanga which supports DP Ruto’s bid for the presidency in the 2022 elections.
Both factions condemned the chaos and blamed each other for the commotion that resulted in the death of a man, who was beaten to death by one of the conflicting groups, and a woman who died in unclear circumstances.
And, speaking on K24 TV on Sunday evening, Jubilee Party Vice-Chairman David Murathe claimed that the goons who caused the chaos had been ferried to the town by Kenya Mpya buses which, he claimed, are owned by Kirinyaga Woman Representative Wangui Ngirici.
“It’s very interesting that the buses that transported people to that chaos are called Kenya Mpya. We know who owns Kenya Mpya,” he said.
But Ms Ngirichi, in a tweet, denied owning the buses.
“Just for the record to ‘consultant’ Murathe … I and my small nucleus family own no bus business,” she tweeted.
Two Murang’a legislators, Alice Wahome (Kandara) and Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), are wanted by police following the chaos in Kenol. They have been summoned to appear at the central region’s DCI headquarters in Nyeri for interrogation.
