This archive report was first published on 17 December 2019.
On December 17, 2019, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) suspended Modern Coast Express Limited's operator's license following a fatal bus crash at Kiongwani, Makueni County, which resulted in the deaths of seven people and injured 60 others.
However, in a surprising turn of events, Modern Coast posted on Twitter a letter allegedly from NTSA allowing it to resume operations, just an hour after NTSA dismissed the company's earlier claim of receiving the green light to resume business.
NTSA responded to Modern Coast's message, stating, "This is to notify members of the public the suspension of Modern Coast Express has not been lifted."
Despite the suspension, Modern Coast had apologized to affected passengers for the inconvenience caused over the past four days and claimed to have received permission from NTSA to resume normal scheduled bus services from 1.00 pm the same day.
However, the letter allegedly from NTSA, dated December 17, 2019, and signed by George Njau, Director-General, stated that the Authority had decided to lift the ban on the 43 vehicles that had passed inspection, but other vehicles still undergoing inspection would be cleared once they had completed inspection.
NTSA had directed the National Police Service to impound any of Modern Coast's vehicles found operating contrary to the suspension and had deactivated the company's access to the NTSA portal to limit activities on their 88 vehicles.
