A Super Metro matatu along Mombasa Road on March 20, 2025. /SADDIQUE SHABAN/XCommuters bore the brunt as police on Thursday started effecting the suspension of the operator licence of Super Metro Sacco.
The National Transport and Safety Authority claimed the sacco's 294 vehicles out of a fleet of 523 have compliance violations and must be presented, together with their drivers, for fresh inspection at its headquarters on Likoni Road.
The authority further alleged that 109 of the vehicles were found operating beyond the 80km speed limit, 171 did not have speed limit recorders, 88 were not transmitting speed data, five bore expired speed limit certificates, seven did not have speed limit vendor details, 15 had expired inspection certificates while eight had expired road service licences.
"Members of the public are cautioned against boarding vehicles belonging to Super Metro Limited. The Traffic Department is required to impound vehicles belonging to the Company found operating contrary to the suspension," NTSA stated.
"The decision was necessitated by the need to ensure the company is not only compliant, but that it has put in place safety measures to protect the lives of its passengers and other road users," the authority added.
The directive seemingly caught the sacco and commuters unaware as traffic police started effecting the suspension almost immediately.
Along Jogoo Road, several Super Metro buses were flagged down near City Stadium and commuters were ordered to disembark.
Jogoo Road serves matatus plying Manyanja Road-Kayole route and Kangundo Road-Kamulu.
However, in other areas, Kenyans said on social media that the buses were still operating.
Some posted images and videos as proof.
"Super Metro is still operating as normal, kwani hii Kenya rules don't apply?" posed one user.
"Suspension that only works on social media and NTSA offices. Super Metro ziko job kama kawaida," added another.
Journalist Saddique Shaban posted a video of a Super Metro bus cruising along Mombasa Road with the caption: "Which Super Metro? This one is in operation along Mombasa Road at the moment."
In commenting on the suspension, the Matatu and Boda Boda Operators Federation condemned the suspension of the entire fleet of Super Metro Sacco even after NTSA indicated that only a number of the vehicles had compliance issues.
"If a violation, has been committed, there's a police department - let the person at fault be arrested. As a federation, we are against this blanket condemnation of Super Metro," chairperson Kushian Muchiri said.
"Let them rescind the decision to suspend Super Metro Sacco and actually it has been voted as one of the best saccos for almost three years running. So, how do you come from the best to the worst just because of public pressure?"
He said the decision has paralysed their operations.
Super Metro argues that the authority should have conducted thorough investigations to assess whether the operator was compliant before the suspension adding that the move was a result of public pressure, which led to the blanket suspension of the Sacco as a whole, a move he said was "uncalled for."
“As a federation, we are against this blanket condemnation, so we are asking the NTSA board to repeal the decision to suspend the Super Metro Sacco. As the investigations continue and when they shall end, NTSA can tell us based on facts what they think we should do," Muchiri said.
The confederation further vowed to go on strike in solidarity with the transport moderator should NTSA fail to address their grievances.
