NTSA impounds faulty school van in Nairobi
Swift action by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) officials on October 17, 2023, resulted in the impounding of an unworthy vehicle transporting pupils from school.
This followed an alarm raised by a pedestrian about a van transporting pupils of St Georges Primary School in Nairobi with mechanical problems.
According to NTSA officials, the vehicle identified as a Toyota van with registration number KBX 844Y had its acceleration peddle deliberately tampered with, and a nail had been welded below the acceleration to prevent the driver from pressing down the peddle.
It was revealed that the vehicle, which was light green in colour, is owned by Samson Wamalwa and had been contracted by the school to provide transport.
The action was taken after the pedestrian contacted the issue to NTSA Director General George Njao after witnessing the faults when they were asked to cheap in to push the stalled van off the road as the driver sought ways of fueling the vehicle.
NTSA officials moved to the school clamped the van which was parked within the compound, and towed it to Kilimani Police Station as investigations started.
“NTSA has towed the vehicle to Kilimani Police Station. We found it parked at Nairobi Primary School. It is undergoing inspection and we actually found the said nail. We will arrest the owner and charge him in court,” NTSA official who sought anonymity told Nairobi News.
In his remarks after NTSA boss took the action, the pedestrian who raised the alarm lauded the authority for quick action and called for a probe into school buses and vans to ensure that students are safe.
“I felt bad seeing the young girls of Grade 3 and Grade 2 who were heading home sitting in the faulty Van. I asked the driver why did he not put enough fuel and he said the owner determines the amount of fuel which must last for two days,” the pedestrian said.
As the inspection of the van continued, it was discovered that the van was not painted yellow with the school’s name written on it in black as required by the government.
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