Why Thika Super Highway has become dangerous

Riding home in a matatu along Thika Super Highway has become incredibly dangerous, at least going by the recent events, in which matatu crew attack, or even sedate passengers, before they rob them of their valuables.

Hundreds of social media users have expressed disquiet in what seems a quickly mushrooming menace, on the Kenya’s coveted Super Highway. But the barbaric act, Pulse Live has learned, is not just on the Thika Super Highway.

Cases of sedation

There have been numerous cases of alleged needles, perched behind seats, especially in KBS Matatus, the most common in the city, whose intention remain clear – to sedate passengers – and enable the robbery, at least with no violence.

The Kenya Bus Service management, has already warned millions of its customers to exercise caution before they could sit. It urged them to check their seats before sitting to identify alleged needles, as investigations kick off.

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Victims of robberies

Recent victims of the robberies include Gacororo Secondary School staff, a journalist, a son to a senior Kiambu officer and students from Kenyatta University Ruiru campus and Nairobi Institute of Business Studies Thika road campus – that is along Thika Road, according to the , whose journalist, was assaulted.

On Tuesday, Ms Joyce Atieno, a teacher at Gacororo Secondary School in Juja, lost her phone and cash after a matatu crew stole from her and threw her out.

“I was in shock and could not read the matatus number plate or Sacco name. I later reported the matter to Juja police station,” she said as quoted by the publication.

Murdered victims

In December, a crew belonging to Marimba Sacco in Nairobi beat to death a motorist, whose car was alleged bruised by the speeding matatu, but on complaining, he was beaten to death.

During the Christmas eve incident, the man was driving when his car collided with a matatu at Kamiti and Tuners junction. A scuffle ensued between the man and crew of a matatu operated by Marimba Sacco, Kasarani police commander Robinson Mboloi said. The angry matatu crew beat him and left him lying on the road.

In August in a video seen by Pulse Live’s eye witness, a matatu crew operating along the very notorious Thika road was put on spot after a disturbing video of assault on one of the customers emerged.

In an almost a half a minute video, the passenger who allegedly had pleaded with the crew to drop him at Homeland along Thika road ignored his calls and his attempts to stop the matatu went futile.

According to Pulse Live’s eyewitness only identified as James, the passenger was from leaving town late in the evening on Friday.

In a video seen by Pulse Live Kenya, the passenger is seen pushed out by the two men – who presumably work for Lopha Travel Sacco as touts – beat him up before speeding off in the dark.

The matatu whose crew has been involved in the inhuman ordeal bears the number plate KCD 158Z. The National Transport and Safety Authority, NTSA, failed to respond to the matter since it was reported over the weekend.ulse