Matatu sacco fights licence suspension in stripping case

A bus belonging to Nazigi Sacco on Thika Road. The sacco has cried foul over the suspension of licences for all its 243 vehicles. PHOTO | JENNIFER MUIRURI 

In Summary

• Nazigi Sacco wants the High Court to withdraw its 14-day licence suspension, arguing that the decision was made before it was given a hearing, contrary to the rules of natural justice.
• The action was taken on Friday after a bus driver and conductor operating a vehicle under the Sacco were arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a woman.
• The two were accused of being part of a group of men who launched a sexual attack on the female passenger.

By BRIAN WASUNA
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The public transport firm whose licence was suspended after two of its employees were accused of stripping and sexually assaulting a woman passenger has moved to court to appeal against the decision.

Nazigi Sacco wants the High Court to withdraw its 14-day licence suspension, arguing that the decision was made before it was given a hearing, contrary to the rules of natural justice.

The sacco has cried foul over the suspension of licences for all its 243 vehicles, arguing that the collective punishment of its members by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) was draconian and unfair to its members who were not involved in the alleged crime.

“The NTSA has violated the Constitution in meting out collective punishment to Nazigi Sacco’s members in order to solve a social malaise and is discriminatory of the said members, innocent of committing the said crime,” said the Sacco.

It has further claimed that the government was using it as a scapegoat in reaction to the recent cases of stripping of women in public that have caused a storm in the past two weeks.

“No such action has been taken in the police force against police officers on account of a police officer who stripped a woman,” added the sacco society.

The action was taken on Friday after a bus driver and conductor operating a vehicle under the Sacco were arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a woman.

The two were accused of being part of a group of men who launched a sexual attack on the female passenger.

Devolution and Planning secretary Ann Waiguru last week announced new rules that will see other saccos suffer a similar fate in the event that other sexual assault incidents are reported to have occurred in their vehicles.

The move is aimed at curbing the vice, after several incidents of women being stripped by men suspected to be matatu crew were reported.