A morning rush hour on Thika Road turned into a scene of panic and confusion on Monday after a 14-seater matatu ferrying school children overturned near Garden City Mall, raising fresh concerns about the enforcement of school transport regulations in Kenya.
The matatu, strikingly painted in bright pink, veered off its lane and flipped onto its roof while en route toward TRM Mall. According to eyewitnesses, the vehicle appeared to be speeding before the driver lost control. Quick-thinking motorists and boda boda riders were among the first to arrive at the scene, helping rescue the shaken children from the overturned vehicle.
Images and videos widely circulated online show the young students seated safely by the roadside, waiting for further help. While authorities confirmed that the injured were taken to the hospital, details about the severity of the injuries remain scant.
The accident sparked a massive traffic snarl-up stretching several kilometers. Commuters heading into Nairobi’s central business district from Githurai were caught in a standstill for hours as police, first responders, and good Samaritans worked to manage the scene and clear the wreckage.
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The incident has triggered a public outcry, not just because of the accident itself, but due to a glaring safety violation: the matatu wasn’t painted in the mandatory school transport yellow.
According to the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), all vehicles transporting school children must be painted in bright yellow (code FFD800), display the words “School Bus”, and adhere to a set of strict safety requirements.
These include: Flashing red lights, A visible stop-arm, Functional seatbelts, Emergency contacts displayed on the vehicle and a warning message at the rear stating “DO NOT PASS WHEN RED LIGHTS ARE FLASHING”. None of these were evident on the pink matatu involved in Monday’s crash.
While NTSA data shows a slight decrease in road fatalities, from 1,166 in early 2024 to 1,139 between January and March 2025, accidents like this highlight the risks schoolchildren face daily. Many Kenyans online are now questioning how such a vehicle was allowed to operate under the radar despite clear NTSA guidelines.
The NTSA has warned that non-compliance will attract fines, licence suspensions, and impounding of vehicles. But for many parents, such enforcement cannot come soon enough.
As investigations continue, Monday’s crash should serve as a wake-up call, not just to rogue transport operators, but to all authorities entrusted with the safety of the next generation.
