In a worrying display of corporate defiance that threatened public safety and order, Super Metro in the past week continued to operate its passenger vehicles throughout Nairobi though its operator licence had been suspended by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA). This brazen disregard for regulatory authority not only violated the law but also represented a serious risk to public safety.

The facts as we understood them by Thursday were that following inspections of 523 Super Metro vehicles, the NTSA uncovered multiple serious violations.

These included expired inspection certificates, invalid road service licences, outdated speed governor certificates, failure to transmit speed data, and missing speed limiter records. These were not minor administrative errors but serious safety failures that directly endangered passengers and other road users.

Even more troubling is that the NTSA also found that many Super Metro drivers lack required qualifications. Having unqualified drivers behind the wheels of public service vehicles creates an obvious danger for everyone on Nairobi’s roads. These revelations came in the wake of a tragic incident where a passenger reportedly died after being pushed from a moving Super Metro bus during a fare dispute.

The company’s labour practices were also found to be deficient. These included allegations that Super Metro had failed to make statutory deductions such as PAYE, NSSF, and health insurance payments, along with not providing proper employment contracts.

This suggests a corporate culture that values profits over the welfare of employees.

On Thursday, despite the NTSA’s clear directive and public warnings, Super Metro’s buses were operating as usual in Nairobi and surrounding areas. With limited safe transport options, commuters continued to use the buses, putting themselves at risk by travelling in vehicles with questionable safety standards, operated by unqualified drivers and maintained by a company that has displayed open contempt for regulatory oversight.

Super Metro held a press briefing Thursday afternoon to explain its position but the event and an accompanying statement amounted to trying to defend the indefensible. The company’s felonious defiance was a threat to the rule of law and the regulatory regime designed to protect public safety. It sent a dangerous message that compliance with safety regulations is optional.

Safety bureaucrats must have been scratching their heads wondering about their next move. Super Metro’s contempt for rules was an unpleasant test for them.

Allowing the company to continue operating despite the suspension undermined the credibility of the NTSA. Immediate, decisive enforcement action is needed, including the impounding of all non-compliant vehicles. The authorities should go further and investigate the kind of music and videos played in some of Super Metro’s vehicles. Playing sexually explicit content shows that the company’s workers have no respect for the dignity of customers.