NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 1 — Nicco Movers has been ordered to halt passenger operations after the Transport Licensing Appeals Board suspended its Public Service Vehicle operator licence, following inspections in which 45 of 51 vehicles presented failed safety checks.
The operator has seven days to address ten safety and compliance concerns raised by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA). The ruling replaces NTSA’s earlier decision to revoke the licence outright with an immediate suspension, giving Nicco Movers an opportunity to correct the identified breaches.
The suspension means the operator cannot continue carrying passengers while undertaking the corrective measures. If the outstanding concerns remain unresolved 14 days after the judgment, NTSA may issue a fresh notice to show cause and subsequently revoke the licence.
For passengers who normally use Nicco Movers services along the Thika Road corridor, alternative public transport options remain available through Githurai, Kahawa, Kenyatta University, Ruiru and other destinations.
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45 Nicco Movers vehicles fail safety inspections
The condition of the Nicco Movers fleet emerged as one of the central issues in the licensing dispute.
Only six of the 51 vehicles presented for inspection passed, leaving 45 vehicles with identified safety or compliance problems.
The defects included missing or faulty passenger seat belts, defective door and window locks, faulty lights and horns and damaged body panels. Some vehicles were also found without first-aid equipment and fire extinguishers.
The scale of the inspection failures shifted the regulatory issue beyond individual incidents and placed the operator’s wider fleet-management and passenger-safety practices under scrutiny.
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Speed-limiter records raise further concerns
Vehicle condition was not the only problem identified during the regulatory process.
NTSA reported that 30 vehicles had been recorded exceeding the prescribed 80km/h speed limit.
Eleven vehicles were not transmitting speed-limiter data, one was operating without a speed limiter and ten had no speed-limiter records. Three vehicles also had expired inspection certificates.
Taken together, the inspection and monitoring findings indicated that the regulator’s concerns extended beyond isolated mechanical defects.
Two deaths put Nicco Movers under scrutiny
The proceedings followed two fatal incidents involving vehicles operating under the Nicco Movers licence within six months.
On January 11, 2026, a pedestrian died following a crash involving one of the operator’s vehicles near Kenyatta University and Kahawa Sukari along Thika Superhighway.
The second incident involved Kenya Medical Training College student Eugene Mutivi Mutuku, who died on June 5 after falling from a moving Nicco Movers vehicle near Waumini Radio Station on the same highway.
The circumstances surrounding Mutuku’s death remain disputed. His mother alleged that a conductor pushed him from the vehicle, while the company maintained that he jumped.
The tribunal did not determine which account was correct, explaining that criminal responsibility was a matter for the criminal justice process.
Its proceedings instead considered whether Nicco Movers had complied with the safety and regulatory requirements necessary to hold a PSV operator licence.
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Why the tribunal replaced revocation with suspension
The tribunal, chaired by Dr Adrian Kamotho Njenga, found that NTSA had sufficient grounds to intervene over the operator’s safety failures.
It nevertheless concluded that outright revocation was disproportionate because Kenya’s transport regulatory framework provides other enforcement measures that can be used to address safety and compliance breaches.
These can include action against individual vehicles, suspension of an operator licence and other corrective measures before complete revocation becomes necessary.
The tribunal therefore set aside NTSA’s earlier revocation and replaced it with an immediate suspension.
This distinction is important: overturning the revocation did not clear Nicco Movers to resume passenger operations.
Nicco Movers given seven days to address breaches
Nicco Movers now has seven days to address the ten compliance concerns identified during the regulatory process.
Corrective measures raised during the proceedings included vehicle inspections, speed-limiter monitoring, driver re-testing, staff documentation, clearer route records and compliance audits.
The tribunal also established a further enforcement threshold.
If the ten concerns remain unresolved 14 days after the judgment, NTSA may issue another notice to show cause and subsequently revoke the operator licence.
Nicco Movers has therefore avoided outright revocation for now, but its ability to return to normal PSV operations depends on satisfying the outstanding regulatory requirements.
What the Nicco Movers suspension means for Thika Road commuters
For commuters, the immediate consequence is that Nicco Movers’ PSV operator licence remains suspended.
Passengers who normally depend on its vehicles should therefore use alternative services until there is a confirmed regulatory decision allowing the operator to resume passenger operations.
The Thika Road corridor is served by several other numbered public transport routes. Metros’ Nairobi Matatu Routes database identifies services towards Githurai, Kahawa, Kenyatta University, Ruiru and Thika, among other destinations.
For passengers travelling towards Githurai and Kahawa West, Route 44 is one alternative within the wider corridor. Route 45 also serves the Githurai/Kenyatta University side of the network. (metros.co.ke)
ALSO READ: Route 44 Nairobi to Githurai and Kahawa West: Matatu Stages, Stops and Guide
Passengers should still confirm the final destination displayed on the vehicle because different Thika Road services terminate at different points.
Alternative transport towards Ruiru and Thika
Passengers travelling beyond Githurai have additional alternatives.
Route 145 and Route 146 provide connections towards Ruiru, while Route 237 continues through the wider Thika Road corridor towards Juja and Thika Town. (metros.co.ke)
ALSO READ: Route 145 Nairobi to Ruiru: Matatu Stages, Stops and Thika Road Guide
Passengers travelling farther along the corridor can also consult:
ALSO READ: Route 237 Nairobi to Thika Town: Matatu Stages, Stops & Thika Road Guide
Route 237 connects Nairobi CBD with Thika through major commuter centres including Roysambu, Githurai, Kahawa, Kenyatta University, Ruiru and Juja. (metros.co.ke)
Commuter rail provides another Thika Road alternative
Passengers affected by the Nicco Movers suspension do not have to rely exclusively on road-based public transport.
The Nairobi Central–Ruiru commuter train provides a railway alternative connecting Nairobi Central with stations including Makadara, Mutindwa, Dandora, Mwiki, Githurai, Kahawa West, Kenyatta University and Ruiru. (metros.co.ke)
ALSO READ: Nairobi Central to Ruiru Commuter Train Route Guide
The train can therefore be particularly useful for passengers travelling towards Githurai, Kahawa West, Kenyatta University and Ruiru when scheduled services are operating.
Passengers should confirm the current timetable, station served and fare before travelling.
Suspension highlights wider PSV safety oversight
The Nicco Movers case also highlights the role of fleet inspections, speed-limiter monitoring and operator-level compliance in Kenya’s PSV industry.
The regulatory action did not arise solely from one defective vehicle. Inspection failures across 45 vehicles, alongside speed-limiter and documentation concerns, placed the operator’s broader safety-management practices under examination.
For Nicco Movers, the immediate challenge is now to demonstrate that the identified problems have been corrected.
For commuters, the practical position remains unchanged until regulators confirm otherwise: Nicco Movers services should not be treated as operational during the licence suspension.
Passengers affected by the suspension can use the permanent Metros transport database to identify other services along the corridor.
ALSO READ: Nairobi Matatu Routes and Numbers: Complete Commuter Guide
ALSO READ: Nairobi Central to Ruiru Commuter Train Route Guide
This gives affected passengers both matatu and commuter-rail alternatives while Nicco Movers works through the regulatory compliance process.
