Tahmeed Express has suspended the transportation of used bedding on its buses following a bedbug infestation that affected passengers travelling along the Mombasa-Nairobi route.
The bus operator took the action after passengers reportedly complained of being bitten by bedbugs while travelling on one of its buses.
In a notice issued on Tuesday, August 18, the company confirmed that bus KCR 615 had been affected by a bedbug infestation on July 17, 2026.
Tahmeed said it immediately transferred passengers to another bus and took the affected vehicle out of service as it addressed the infestation.
"Dear Valued Customers, We acknowledge the videos circulating online regarding bus KCR 615. On July 17 2026, we identified a bedbug infestation on KCR 615. We acted at once," the company stated.
"We moved all passengers to another bus to ensure your safety and comfort. We grounded KCR 615 and removed all seats. We thoroughly sprayed and fumigated the entire bus to eliminate all bedbugs."
According to Tahmeed, the bus was only returned to service after inspections confirmed that it was free of the pests.
As part of measures to prevent a recurrence, the company has stopped transporting used bedding across all its routes.
"We stopped carrying used bedding on all routes to prevent re-infestation," the bus company announced.
Tahmeed also said it had increased the frequency of fumigation across its fleet as part of efforts to maintain better hygiene standards and prevent similar incidents.
The company further announced plans to replace its existing bedding materials with alternatives that are less likely to harbour bedbugs.
The incident has renewed concerns over hygiene and pest control in Kenya's public transport sector, particularly on long-distance routes.
Passengers have previously called for transport regulators, including the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), together with public health officials, to enforce stricter hygiene standards and regular fumigation of public service vehicles.
