CS Matiang’i to unveil new board at NTSA

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i (centre) during a past function. [File, Standard]

Major changes are set to be made at the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) following claims of corruption at the State agency.

Officials revealed that Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i is set to unveil a new board by Wednesday.

The decision was arrived at last week in the wake of revelations that NTSA staff are engaging in corrupt practices that endanger the country’s security.

“The CS and PS are set to visit the NTSA probably Tuesday to unveil the new board and warn staff who are engaged in corrupt activities,” said a source aware of the plans.

The move comes in the wake of the arrest and presentation in court of six NTSA staff over the ongoing probe into the 14 Riverside Drive terrorist attack that left 21 dead.

The employees are Charles Wangocho, Stephen Kariuki, Nderitu Irving, Cosmas Ngeso, Jacqueline Githinji and Anthony Mjaka.

The police believe the suspects aided the attackers by issuing them with fake number plates.

Prosecutor Duncan Ondimu successfully asked to be allowed to detain the six for 30 days to allow police conduct investigations.

Another NTSA official, Augustine Mulwa Musembi, was presented in court on Wednesday and police were allowed to hold him for one month.

The arrest of the six is linked to the discovery of a Toyota Ractis in Kitengela with the same registration number, KCN 240E, as a vehicle used by the terrorists during the January 21 attack.

Police said that one of the number plates was either fake or was issued fraudulently. Kadu allegedly directed Musembi to reissue the same number plate to the vehicle used by the terrorists.

Police said they need time to visit the NTSA offices, investigate the procurement process and recover documents related to the production of duplicate number plates.

On January 21, President Uhuru Kenyatta issued an executive order moving the NTSA from the Transport ministry to the ministry of Interior.

The President said there was a “need to foster greater synergies in the development, coordination, application and enforcement of road safety and transport regulations by the various State organs and State agencies”.

The State Department of Transport will now manage the national roads development policy, mechanical and transport services. It will also manage the policy on axle-load controls.