The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has announced a renewed crackdown targeting sugarcane transporters accused of endangering motorists through reckless and unlawful road practices.
The authority in a statement issued on Sunday cited increasing cases of tractors ferrying cane in highly unsafe conditions, particularly along highways in Western Kenya.
KeNHA raised concern over what it described as a growing pattern of transporters operating tractors with faulty lighting systems, unroadworthy bodies, and loads stacked far beyond the legal height limit. It warned that these violations have become more common during night hours when visibility is already compromised.
In response to averting the dangers created by the cane transporters, KeNHA said it will intensify its crackdown on tractors loaded with bulky cane extending beyond permissible dimensions that pose a grave danger to both motorists and pedestrians.
At the same time, the authority added that night-time movement of such tractors further increases accident risks, especially when operators ignore basic road safety rules.
According to KeNHA, many of the vehicles often navigate busy corridors without proper reflective markings or functioning headlights.
In its latest enforcement activity, the authority’s Busia Weighbridge mobile team intercepted a tractor on the Kisumu–Busia Road after it was found transporting sugarcane stacked to an unsafe height of five metres, above the legal limit of 4.2 metres.
‘’The driver is set to be charged under Section 55(2) as read with Section 58(1) of the Traffic Act, Cap 403, when he appears in the Busia Law Court on Monday, November 24, 2025,’’ the authority confirmed.
KeNHA reiterated that it will maintain strict enforcement of traffic and vehicle load rules to protect road users and safeguard the country’s road infrastructure.
The developments come as Kenya’s enforcement agencies, including the National Police Service and the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), step up efforts to prevent the surge in road carnages often seen during the festive season.
On November 16, NTSA announced that thousands of drivers would undergo fresh tests ahead of the December Christmas holidays, as the agency intensifies measures to curb road accidents.
Acting NTSA Director General Angela Wanjira announced the new series of interventions following a report that indicated a 2.6 per cent rise in road crash victims in 2025 compared to the previous year.
One key measure involves mandatory retesting of drivers flagged through enforcement operations and the NTSA Intelligent Road Safety Management System (IRSMS) to ensure their competence on the roads.
