The Kenya National Highways Authority(KeNHA) has threatened to impound and auction overloaded trucks found on highways to ensure road safety compliance.
KENHA Assistant Director in charge of Axle Load, Michael Ngala, confirmed that they were also working closely with the Judiciary to ensure that owners, directors, beneficiaries, and drivers of companies found guilty of overloading are charged.
Ngala noted that they had already obtained sufficient data of the culprits from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and will ensure they are prosecuted.
According to Ngala, some trucks are already being held at various yards, adding that the agency will auction trucks seized due to overloading in the last three months.
“The trucks are currently being held at our various weighbridge yards after the owners failed to pay up stipulated fines accrued in the last six months," Ngala stated.
According to the agency, the fines will be used to repair sections of the road damaged as a result of overloading.
Ngala also confirmed getting information about non-compliance among contractors transporting loose cargo, adding that they will face the full force of the law.
"We have evidence that local and Chinese contractors are habitually overloading. They must stop or face the full wrath of the law,” Ngala warned.
He also emphasized that the agency is alert and will continue implementing the punitive measures to ensure compliance on the roads.
"Trucks owned by Kenyans are the worst overloaders and are responsible for 30 percent of road destruction. Transit trucks are now 99 percent compliant," he noted.
