License of truck driver in Chepsir accident permanently revoked

Kericho residents stare at the wreckage of the ill-fate South Rift Sacco matatu which was involved in a head-on collision with a gas cylinders carrying truck. 11 passengers died in the road accident which in occurred Chepsir along the Kericho-Nakuru highway.

National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has permanently revoked the driving license of a truck driver who was found culpable for a road accident along the Kericho-Nakuru Highway that claimed nine lives.

In a press statement sent to news room on Monday, NTSA Director General, Francis Meja said that they had revoked the driving license of Abdulle Ali Mohammed who was the driver of the Mercedes Benz truck that rammed into a 14 seater Matatu at Chepsir.

The lorry (KBH 267J/ ZF 8069) was transporting gas cylinders.

 Preliminary investigations by NTSA also indicate that the driver was descending using the climbing lane towards oncoming traffic without due care causing a head on collision with the 14-seater PSV.

"The revocation was necessitated by the fact that the driver is a danger to all road users and should never be allowed to drive on Kenyan roads. The authority also cautions that similar action shall be taken against drivers who disregard traffic rules," read part of the statement.

The accident occurred around 6:30pm on February 15, 2019.

The accident happened after the truck which was traveling from Kisumu headed for Nakuru swerved from its lane hitting the matatu which was coming from the opposite direction.

Kericho police boss James Mugera said five passengers in the matatu died on the spot.

Nine others who were injured were taken to hospital.

NTSA has also summoned the officials of Green Line Bus Company (KBN 701N) which was involved in a fatal crash with a truck (Reg no. KCM259/ZF 6279) at Kamara along the Nakuru-Eldoret highway that left nine people dead on Sunday.

According to Nakuru County Police Commander Stephen Matu, the bus was overloaded and the driver was overtaking when the crash happened.