The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has revoked the operating licence of Nicco Movers 1 Sacco with immediate effect following the death of 19-year-old Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) student Eugene Mutuku, who was allegedly thrown out of one of the Sacco’s matatus along Thika Road before being fatally injured.
In a public notice issued on Friday, NTSA directed all Nicco Movers vehicles to cease operations immediately and warned that any of the Sacco’s vehicles found on the road would be impounded by law enforcement officers.
The Authority said investigations into the incident revealed serious safety and operational failures within the Sacco. According to NTSA, Nicco Movers’ management had lost effective control of its fleet and failed to implement adequate safety measures to protect passengers and other road users.
Mutuku, a student at KMTC Yatta Campus, was reportedly involved in a dispute over fare change while travelling aboard a Nicco Movers matatu. Witness accounts and preliminary investigations indicate that he was allegedly pushed from the moving vehicle before it ran over him. He was rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital but later succumbed to severe injuries.
The tragedy sparked public outrage and renewed concerns over passenger safety in Kenya’s public transport sector. Lawmakers, road safety advocates and human rights groups have since called for stricter regulation of PSV operators and accountability for those responsible.
NTSA further disclosed that its assessment found several vehicles under the Sacco to be unsafe, posing a risk to passengers and other motorists. The Authority accused the Sacco of failing to address longstanding safety concerns despite its obligations as a licensed public transport operator.
Meanwhile, two Nicco Movers operations managers have been charged in court over allegations of concealing evidence and assisting suspects linked to the case. Authorities are still pursuing the driver and conductor believed to have been directly involved in the incident.
The revocation of Nicco Movers’ licence marks one of the strongest enforcement actions taken by NTSA in recent years and underscores growing pressure on transport authorities to rein in rogue PSV operators and restore public confidence in the country’s transport system.
