Justice Chacha Mwita. [Photo/capitalfm.co.ke]
High Court Judge Justice Chacha Mwita has temporarily suspended the ban imposed on night travel by the National Transport and Safety Authority.
In a Thursday ruling, Justice Mwita barred the NTSA and the National Police Service from effecting the imposed night travel ban.
“Pending the hearing and determination of this case, the court is pleased to suspend NTSA and the police service’s undated as well as unsigned joint press statement which suspended night travel for all long distance Public Service Vehicles from December 31, 2017,” the judge ruled.
The case against the ban was filed by activist Okiya Omtatah.
Omtatah argued that the ban has gravely affected travelling using public means as well as businesses that depend on it.
He faulted NTSA and the National Police Service for issuing the night travel ban in a statement which he describes as a kneejerk reaction to the menace of road accidents on Kenyan roads.
Omtatah also sued the Attorney General.
NTSA in a press statement on December 31, 2017 banned night travels following a fatal accident at Migaa, along the Nakuru-Eldoret High way in which more than 30 people died.
The authority had directed that all travel must be scheduled between 6am to 7pm.