Kilifi, KENYA: More than twenty passenger aboard a Mombasa Raha bus were left stranded as their bus was allegedly held by National Transport Safety Authority (NTSA).
According to Mombasa Raha Bus officials, the bus which was headed for Lamu from Mombasa, was held at Kijipwa police station along Mombasa –Kilifi highway; following links to a bus belonging to Buscar Transport Company which was last month involved in a grisly accident near Kambu shopping center in Mtito-Andei, Makueni county.
The accident left more than twenty passengers dead and twenty three injured.
Hassan Salim Hassan, the company’s bus driver, claimed that the reason for the ban is that the bus belongs to the same Sacco with Buscar.
“NTSA have taken the court order we are using on the road as the case is going on and have made our passengers stranded,” said Hassan.
“Being in the same Sacco of Buscar, doesn’t mean we carry the burdens of another company, this is totally unfair and we condemn it,” added Hassan.
Joyce Kasungwa, one of the stranded passengers expressed fear of losing jobs due to anticipated late arrival in Lamu.
She said she boarded the bus at around 7:00 am but on reaching the Kijipwa police station the bus was held by NTSA.
“I am really disappointed to be hear up to now, knowing not exactly what has transpired,” Kasungwa said.
“I have a job to attend to in Lamu, but I am totally worried that I might lose it due to this fracas caused by these NTSA guys which is clear to us. We need justice because we are innocent,” added Kasungwa.
Christopher Mauti, another passenger said he is worried that it would be challenging reaching his remote home in Poromoko area, in the outskirts of Lamu County.
He said Poromoko is far from town and the only transport is Motorbikes which would turn hectic to him in terms of security.
“This is not fare because they have held us here and not telling us anything in regard to it,” said Mauti.
We are taking too long here and the only transport we use to take us to the villages is bodaboda which is not even safe during the night,” he added.
The fear of terrorism that has been prone in the area also perplexed the passengers.
John Mwangi, also a passenger who was headed for Lamu from Nairobi said he is worrisome of the security situation in the County.
“We all know that Lamu is Al-shabab terrorists’ prone County which is really worrisome to us. They should give us an immediate alternative,” Mwangi reiterated.