RTSA suspends Kapena bus company license

The Road Transport and Safety Agency(RTSA) has suspended the road service license for Kapena Bus Company for violating the conditions upon which the operator’s license was granted.

The Agency has since given the bus company 24 hours to cease operations.

On 23^rd  May, 2017, a Scania Marcopolo Bus registration number ABP 6303 operating under a road service license No. 163140 belonging to Kepena bus company was involved in an accident at around 21:00 hours a few kilometers before the Luangwa Bridge living 17 people dead and several injured.

In a letter dated 2^nd June, 2017, made available to Q- News, RTSA Director and Chief Executive Officer, Zindaba Soko says the findings from the investigations into the Luangwa accident have proved that the operator neglected or failed to ensure that the bus in question was fit to be used to carry passengers after the change of the brakes was done and thereby occasioned danger to the travelling public.

Mr. Soko says other accident investigations conducted by the RTSA have established that the accident was caused following the re-adjustment of the brakes by the bus crew as the bus was reported to be brake binding.

He adds that it has also been established that the driver and the operator defied the provisions of the Statutory Instrument (SI) No. 76 of 2016 which restricts the movement of Public Service Vehicles (PSV) at night.

Mr. Soko says the Road Service License for the bus company will only be restored subject to the operator meeting the conditions that the Agency has set.

This is contained in a statement made available to Q new by RTSA head public relations Fredrick Mubanga.