Multimedia University students block road in protest after accident

Students of Multimedia University of Kenya blocked Magadi Road in Nairobi on Tuesday in protest after an accident on Sunday that killed at least four passengers and injured six.

The morning demonstration, to protest recklessness by drivers of the buses, paralysed transport on the road for half of the day. Two of the fatalities of the Sunday crash are believed to have been students at the university.

They engaged officers from Ongata Rongai police station in running battles, pelting stones at motorists and harassing pedestrians.

The students chanted slogans, saying they were tired of accidents and that they would only stop the protest “after burning a bus to serve as a warning to the rest”.

“We want an end to this impunity, which has claimed the lives of two of our comrades and we shall teach these manyangas (buses considered hip) a lesson,” said a student who requested anonymity for fear of victimisation.

Police fired shots in the air to disperse the irate students who had lit fires on the road.

Motorists were stuck as the road was blocked. Mr Nimrod Omwanza was a frustrated man when he realised that he could not pass through to Kiserian to pick a sick relative for treatment in Nairobi.

RESTORE ORDER

His eyes welling with tears, he narrated his situation to the Nation, saying the police were doing little to restore order.

“I’m very stressed because I am unsure if my patient will survive. What makes this worse is that I do not know when this will end,” said Mr Omwanza.

Boda boda riders took advantage of the standoff to ferry passengers to town from the university gate.

But their business boom was shortlived, after the students turned against them with accusations of recklessness and impunity.

A boda boda rider was almost lynched when the students impounded his bike and destroyed it, but police officers intervened.

Lang’ata police boss Elijah Mwangi had a rough time trying to control the protesters who claimed his office had done nothing to solve the problem despite students reaching out to his office.

The students told Mr Mwangi that the buses had rude conductors and that they pushed passengers out of moving vehicles whenever they failed to pay extortionist fares that they increased arbitrarily.

Mr Maina, however, challenged the students to lodge formal complaints so that further action could be taken.

“Bundling people out of moving vehicles is a criminal offence and should be reported for stern action to be taken,” said Mr Maina.

MAINA NEGOTIATED

Some semblance of calm returned after Mr Maina negotiated with the students to allow public service vehicles through, except for the 33-seater buses.

“I have talked to the manyanga owners to keep away until tempers are down. Right now the students are very furious with them,” said Mr Maina.

The police boss said the students had raised the issue of recklessness with him as alleged, but said his office could not deregister vehicles.

But, he said he would work with the relevant authorities to ensure traffic regulations are enforced.

“The students should have addressed their concerns to the relevant authorities to take action. No formal communications was made to me at all,” said Mr Maina.

This comes a day after Ongataline Sacco was deregistered as a public transport provider after one of its buses caused an accident.

National Transport and Safety Authority said the action was as a result of failure by the sacco to adhere to the laid down procedures, even after several meetings with them over the matter.

Near Lang’ata police station, repairs for the damaged section of the road were going on.

In the station’s yard lay the wreckage of the bus.

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Authority acts after bus crash

The National Transport and Safety Authority yesterday deregistered the Ongataline Transporters Company Ltd, following an accident that left four people dead and several others injured.

NTSA Director-General Francis Meja said the decision was arrived at after the company failed to effectively manage its operations.

Mr Meja said there had been talks between the authority and the company but it failed to comply.

“On February 29, 2016, at around 12.30pm, at the Cooperative University, a vehicle belonging to the company caused an accident where two people were killed and 33 others were injured,” he said adding that the Sacco was given a final warning.

Until now, the company does not know the driver of the ill-fated vehicle, he said.

By Stella Cherono