The National Transport and Safety Authority has suspended the operating licences of four public service vehicle companies following a string of fatal road accidents recorded during the December 2025 festive season.
In a statement released on Monday, January 19, the authority explained that such a decision was reached after investigations linked the operators to serious breaches of safety requirements, including failure to comply with key road safety standards and regulations.
“The Authority, in executing its mandate has decided to withdraw the operating licenses of four public transport operators following reports of fatal crashes during December 2025 festive season; failure to comply with requirements of KS 2295-2023 and failure to comply with provisions of the NTSA (Operation of PSV) Regulations, 2014,” said NTSA.
The affected operators are Monna Comfort Sacco, Greenline Company, Naekana Route 134 Sacco Ltd, and Uwezo Coast Sacco. The suspension affects more than 180 matatus that were operating under the four saccos.
The NTSA said the suspended operators will only be allowed back to the road after undergoing a mandatory safety compliance audit and meeting all regulatory requirements.
In tandem, the authority gave a similar 21-day ultimatum to two other long-distance operators, The Guardian Coach Limited and Nanyuki Express Cab Services Ltd, to comply with pending safety issues.
The two companies have been ordered to disengage the drivers who were flagged during the festive season for speeding over a period of 21 days. The Guardian Coach has been asked to drop 18 drivers, while Nanyuki Express has been ordered to disengage 26 drivers.
According to NTSA, the six operators failed to adhere to set safety measures amidst a bid by the agency to curb road carnage in this holiday period, particularly in meeting the requirements of KS 2295-2023 and the NTSA (Operation of PSV) Regulations, 2014.
The Authority warned that traffic police officers have been instructed to impound any vehicle belonging to the suspended saccos found operating during the suspension period.
“To this end, the public is put on notice to avoid boarding vehicles operated by the suspended saccos or companies. The move is part of our relentless resolve in ensuring passengers are protected and the road safety parameters are complied with,” said NTSA.
They will also be required, before their licences are reinstated, to present for inspection at the designated centres all vehicles found to have defects on recommended gadgets such as faulty speed limiters and a report on detailed compliance to NTSA.
Additional needs include signed contracts for drivers and staff on file, a report on compliance status and challenges, and road safety sensitisation sessions conducted for all drivers.
For those operators who intend to seek permission for running night services, NTSA said they shall also provide valid authorization to operate at night, evidence of fatigue management systems, updated fleet management systems, and verifiable manifests for the long-distance journeys.
The authority further directed the saccos to establish offices at designated pick-up and drop-off points to improve passenger handling, as well as develop internal operational manuals to guide day-to-day operations. The NTSA said the measures were part of their continued attempt to inflate regulatory oversight of the public transport sector, aimed at reducing road accidents, particularly during peak travels.
