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Survivors of the ill-fated Homeboyz bus that claimed the lives of 56 Kenyans during a dawn accident in Kericho on Wednesday have revealed shocking details of their jinxed journey from Nairobi.
Daily Nation reports that the driver of the 62-seater was a 72-year-old man only identified as Lucas.
Survivors say their journey from the bus station began well but things changed when they reached Westlands area, when the driver received a call and was instructed to return to the central business district to pick more passengers from a different bus.
“The vehicle had hardly left the city when the driver was instructed to make a U-turn and go for more passengers being transferred from another bus,” read part of the story by Nation.
They went back and picked the travelers, with those who missed seats in the bus being asked to seat on soda crates. The bus was full to capacity with both passengers and luggage.
As soon as they passed Naivasha, just over an hour after midnight, Lucas began over-speeding and some passengers voiced complaints over the manner in which the bus was being steered.
Their complaints fell on deaf ears as arrogant bus crew dismissed them, asking them to buy their own cars if they disliked the services offered by the bus company.
Reports also indicate the elderly driver may have been fatigued or may have fallen asleep while driving since he had not taken a rest the entire day.
Reports indicate Lucas was driving through the day from Kisumu to Nairobi and arrived at around 6pm only to embark on a return journey less than four hours later.
He had reportedly worked with the bus company for seven years and was very familiar with the route. Authorities said the bus was operating illegally since it did not have a license for night travel.
The owner of the bus, Bernard Ishindu Shitiabayi, was arrested on Wednesday night in Kakamega and will be charged in court.
Comments
Always looking for someone to blame. Are you the bus company has no responsibility?
Am not looking.
I know Exactly who has failed to do their job.
Us KIKUYUS know how to Maintain our Buses and Matatus. LUHYAS don't. All that Luhyas know is Reaping where they did NOT sow (be it in Business or in other People's MARRIAGES too). Tamaa ya vya Wenyewe ndivyo Virauni vyao. Andũ a Ingo ni Ngĩa.
Passangers have a right to say 'I am not boarding' if they see the bus or matatu is filled. You will live only one life do not put your lives into danger. Passengers have the ability to pull out the careless driver. According to what I have read that bus had so many men in it. 31 men died. 31 men versa 1 drive.
This regulation of night travel licence is unconstitutional.The bus owner must challenge that defective charged if slapped with it.Why doesn't the useless govt/parliament pass a law to close the roads at night?
It's commosense to "cut" those DANGEROUS Sharp corners (to Foreseable or Straight roads) or just CORRECT mistakes made by the so-called Road Engineers. Why 20 ACCIDENTS in this Spot in the past NOT so long period?
Iam curios with cell phones everywhere,if someone called the police to complain about the erratic driving?
Age notwithstanding lack of rest is dangerous for work.Young or old you need a good rest after work.Yes the driver may have 7 or ten years on the road but he should not be reckless...
That route has about 5 police road block.
They let the bus pass.
@Maxiley, when you call police station to report anything they tell you ghali haina mafuta. Toa pesa ya mafuta.
you are not serious!
I was gonna blame the age factor(though it may be), but who would not need to sleep their blame and muscles after driving all he way from Kisumu to nbi? And then asked to drive back at past 70 years of age?
And then the police roadblocks that the bus passed(2 of them) with no questions asked with overloading and speeding. This is serious, UK!
The Love of Money: Source of all Evil; like Death.
the driver, NTSA and traffic police officers at the time should be responsible for the lives losed. it's so sad
The bus owner has no mistakes he is just an investor Traffic police and Tsa are the couser of the accident
1. The bus owner is an investor.
2. The NTSA should have removed that bus from the road if it failed to meet regulations.
3. The kenya government should stop shifting blame to investors for failure to do its job.
4. How many road blocks did the bus pass?
That bus passed at least 2 road blocks.
Macharia and Waweru MUST GO.Period.
They have failed.