NAIROBI, Kenya — The Transport Licensing Appeals Board has suspended Nicco Movers Limited’s Public Service Vehicle (PSV) operator licence with immediate effect, giving the company seven days to address 10 road safety and compliance concerns identified by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA).
The Tribunal, chaired by Dr Adrian Kamotho Njenga, set aside NTSA’s earlier decision to revoke the bus operator’s licence following an appeal by Nicco Movers.
Instead, it ordered an immediate suspension and warned that the licence could still be revoked if the company fails to comply with the directives.
The case followed two fatal incidents involving vehicles operating under the company’s licence within a six-month period.
Two fatal incidents triggered scrutiny
The first incident occurred on January 11, 2026, when a vehicle operating under the Nicco Movers licence knocked down and killed a pedestrian along Thika Superhighway near Kenyatta University and Kahawa Sukari.
The second occurred on June 5, when KMTC student Eugene Mutivi Mutuku died after falling from a moving Nicco Movers vehicle, registration KDV 713J, along Thika Superhighway near Waumini Radio Station.
According to Eugene’s mother, Jacinta Nzilani Mutuku, the two abandoned the scene after the incident.
“The Interested Party’s loss is irreversible,” the Tribunal said, adding that regulatory proceedings could not restore Eugene’s life but could help reduce the risk of another family suffering a similar loss.
NTSA cited multiple fleet violations
NTSA had raised concerns over what it described as widespread safety and compliance violations across Nicco Movers’ fleet.
The authority recorded 30 vehicles travelling above the prescribed 80km/h speed limit.
Another 11 vehicles were not transmitting speed-limiter data, while one vehicle was found to be operating without a speed limiter.
Three vehicles also had expired inspection certificates, according to the regulatory findings presented before the Tribunal.
The concerns extended beyond electronic monitoring and speed compliance.
45 of 51 vehicles failed inspection
The Tribunal directed Nicco Movers to present 51 vehicles for inspection.
Only six vehicles passed the inspection, while 45 failed.
Inspectors identified a range of defects, including missing or defective seat belts, faulty doors and windows, defective lights and horns, damaged body panels and missing safety equipment.
The findings formed part of the basis for NTSA’s intervention against the operator.
The Tribunal nevertheless distinguished between NTSA having grounds to take regulatory action and whether the most severe sanction — outright revocation of the operator’s licence — was justified.
Tribunal says revocation was disproportionate
The Tribunal found that NTSA had sufficient grounds and legal authority to intervene over the safety concerns.
However, it concluded that immediate revocation of the entire operator’s licence was disproportionate.
“Revocation fails the third and fourth inquiries,” the Tribunal ruled, noting that the law provides less restrictive options, including removing defective vehicles from an operator’s licence or suspending the licence.
The decision therefore preserves NTSA’s ability to enforce safety standards while giving Nicco Movers an opportunity to correct the identified deficiencies.
Nicco Movers given seven days
The Tribunal ordered the company to address the 10 compliance concerns within seven days.
The suspension takes effect immediately, meaning the operator cannot continue operating under the affected PSV licence while the suspension remains in force.
The Tribunal further directed that if the concerns remain unresolved after 14 days from the judgment, NTSA may issue a fresh notice to show cause and proceed with revocation of the licence.
The order places the responsibility on Nicco Movers to demonstrate that it has addressed the safety and compliance failures identified by regulators and inspectors.
