14/06/2026
â• | NEWS UPDATE: NTSA Suspends Nicco Movers Sacco Over KMTC Student Death Probe
NAIROBI, Kenya, June 14 — The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has suspended Nicco Movers 1 Sacco and ordered all its vehicles off the road following investigations into the death of a Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) student, in a case that has sparked public outrage and renewed scrutiny of matatu operations along the Thika Superhighway.
In a statement issued on Friday, June 12, NTSA said the decision followed a safety and compliance audit which found that the Sacco had failed to meet key operational standards and had lost effective control over its fleet.
The authority directed that all vehicles operating under Nicco Movers 1 cease operations immediately and warned that any vehicles found on the road would be impounded by law enforcement officers. The suspension takes immediate effect pending further regulatory action.
Nicco Movers 1 operates along key commuter routes between Nairobi’s Central Business District and satellite towns including Githurai, Kimbo, Juja, and Thika, serving thousands of daily passengers using both 33-seater and 46-seater matatus.
The crackdown follows the death of 19-year-old KMTC student Eugene Mutuku, who died after an incident involving a Nicco matatu on June 4, 2026. According to preliminary reports, the student was allegedly assaulted during a fare dispute before being thrown from a moving vehicle along Thika Superhighway.
The vehicle is also alleged to have run over the student after he fell. He was rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital where he later succumbed to severe internal injuries.
NTSA says its investigations revealed serious safety breaches within the Sacco, including poor enforcement of internal regulations and the presence of unroadworthy vehicles within its fleet, raising concerns over commuter safety.
Following the incident, two operations managers linked to the Sacco have been arrested and charged with being accessories to a felony, concealing evidence, and allegedly assisting suspects to evade arrest.
Authorities say the suspension will remain in place as investigations continue and further enforcement measures are considered.
The case has reignited debate over matatu safety standards and enforcement along major highways in Kenya, with calls for stricter regulation of public transport operators.
— 360 Global News Network
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