NAIROBI, Kenya – The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has rolled out a nationwide crackdown targeting overloaded trucks, as part of an intensified campaign to safeguard road infrastructure and enhance transport safety.
In a statement issued on Sunday, October 5, KeNHA announced that surveillance teams will operate night patrols along key truck routes to enforce compliance with vehicle weight limits.
The move follows the interception of a three-axle tipper truck along the Narok–Sekenani Road, found carrying 30,850kg, exceeding the allowed limit by 2,850kg.
Despite being served with a Prohibition Order and a Notice to Attend Court, the driver allegedly ignored directives, driving to Narok Police Station and locking himself inside the truck.
Police later confiscated the vehicle’s number plates and booked the incident.
“Adherence to axle-load limits is crucial in maintaining road quality, reducing repair costs, and ensuring safety for all road users,” KeNHA stated.
Under current regulations, truck owners face fines of Sh200,000 for first offences and Sh400,000 for repeat violations.
The crackdown comes as part of broader reforms by the Ministry of Transport, which plans to establish 28 new weighbridges, including both static and virtual stations, to improve compliance monitoring.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said the government’s goal is to curb infrastructure degradation caused by heavy cargo traffic.
“Overloading shortens road lifespan and escalates maintenance costs. This enforcement will protect taxpayers’ investment in our roads,” Chirchir emphasized.
KeNHA’s operation signals a shift toward stricter enforcement and technological surveillance, amid growing concerns that overloaded trucks contribute significantly to potholes, structural wear, and fatal road accidents.
Industry experts have welcomed the move, urging consistent enforcement and coordination between KeNHA, the National Police Service, and county transport departments to eliminate corruption at weighbridges.
The crackdown is expected to continue across major transport corridors, including the Mombasa-Nairobi Highway, Northern Corridor, and Trans-African routes, with the agency promising to prosecute offenders to the full extent of the law.
