“Modern Coast Please Compensate Me On My Lost Luggages!”

Modern bus in flames

It is almost clocking a year since this fateful event happened. The date is 29/12/2017 when I was traveling back to Nairobi from Mombasa town using Modern Coast bus. Around Taru area, the bus came to a screeching halt, our conductor whose name i don’t remember ran to the door and shouted to passengers to get out with whatever we had in possession. The bus was full of smoke and the smell of rubber. I had with me my 5 years old daughter and dashed out of the burning bus.

In less than two minutes, the bus exploded. Confused as we all were started running for our lives into the wilderness of Taru. We were stopped by the conductor who informed us that our lives are in danger as we risked being eaten alive by wild animals. The bus then exploded three times before it went into flames.

The passengers around were started screaming on this horrific scene that we always saw in the movies. Horrified as we were asked on how we were to then get to Nairobi and how we were to get our luggage out of the bus before they could all burn up. I was scared to death but had to stay strong for my little girl who was crying endlessly not understanding what was happening.

I lost items worth 300k in the fire. We made a report when we finally got to Nairobi the following day at Modern Coast river road office where the current drama is ongoing. I was told to get an abstract from Taru police station where my late husband took me. We were then referred to Mackinnon police station where I got the abstract. I was told to write a report about the fire incident and make a list of my lost items.

I delivered the documents to Modern Coast office in Nairobi and I informed that Fatuma Ruwange was going to handle my case to ensure that i get compensated. I have tried calling and emailing madam Ruwange to make a follow up on my case but got no response. The last time she ever mentioned anything was insurance which i all knew about because i work with insurance.

Modern Coast I’m so disappointed at your inconsiderate attitude! Do you know what it has taken me to get my daughter over the trauma? Your bus that night destroyed things of value to my daughter and i and the best thing you can do is keeping shut! Modern Coast can you please compensate me. We could have lost our lives in the tragedy.

It should be noted that I’m not out to destroy Modern Coast, that would be a joke right? I’m hoping this will make them grow, check on their standards, improve on customer service, work with etiquette, have well serviced buses that don’t keep exploding in people’s faces.

Story by Sereni Judy Mumba.

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