By John Mutiso
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has appealed to members of the public to provide the authority with details regarding a ‘nganya‘ matatu whose crew was exposed in a viral video assaulting a passenger.
The clip, which was circulated on social media platforms as of Monday, December 8, begins with a matatu tout manhandling one of the passengers as he complained over the passenger’s failure to pay bus fare.
“Huu jamaa ananipiga na hajalipa gari (this guy is beating me up and hasn’t paid for the trip),” the tout could be heard shouting.
The passenger appears to have forced himself out of the vehicle before being dragged back in and pinned to the floor, before the crew descended upon him with multiple blows as the other passengers loudly reacted in disgust.
After the video was shared on X, NTSA called on the public to help trace the vehicle involved so that it can take prompt action against those responsible.
“Kindly confirm the registration number of the vehicle or the Sacco name. We will take immediate action,” the authority stated on X.
Kenya’s public transport system has long operated in a chaotic and unsafe environment, leaving passengers vulnerable to mistreatment and exploitation by operators. Incidents of passengers being attacked by matatu conductors and touts have been rampant, and on numerous occasions, have led to fatalities.
Repeated incidents of harassment, abuse, and sexual violence underscore how deeply entrenched the problem is and highlight the need for clear guidelines to protect commuters.
Most of the cases have involved operators of ‘nganyas‘, high-end, flashy, and heavily customized matatus, which are adorned with graffiti art, neon lights, sound systems, flat-screen televisions, and portraits of celebrities, among others.
One such case involved arguably Nairobi’s most popular matatu SACCO, Super Metro. An incident on March 12, 2025, involved a tout allegedly and fatally pushing a passenger out of a moving bus due to an unpaid fare.
According to unverified reports, the incident had occurred in the Kahawa area. The man was reported to have boarded a matatu charging Ksh80 for fare but could only afford Ksh50, which angered the conductor.
Despite his desperate pleas, the conductor refused to listen and instead opened the door, forcefully ejecting the man from the moving vehicle. The man reportedly died instantly, with a postmortem examination revealing that he succumbed to multiple fractures, including broken legs, ribs, and arms.
The incident sparked widespread outrage, with Kenyans criticizing the well-known transport company that operates across multiple routes in Nairobi, Kiambu, Kajiado, and surrounding areas.
Although the management responded by taking action against the driver and suspending him, numerous complaints were raised regarding the recent conduct of drivers and conductors hired by the company, which sharply climbed to fame among Kenyans owing to better customer service delivery compared to other matatu saccos.
