The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has issued a stern warning to truck drivers against overloading following a dramatic incident involving a defiant truck driver along the Narok–Sekenani Road.
In a statement on Sunday, October 5, KeNHA said the Suswa mobile weighbridge team was carrying out routine surveillance on Friday, October 3, when they intercepted a three-axle tipper truck laden with murram for Wak Construction.
The authority noted that the truck was found with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 30850 kilograms, which was an excess overload of 2850 kilograms.
“Friday evening, while carrying out surveillance along the Narok - Sekenani Road, the Suswa mobile weighbridge team intercepted a three axle (3A) tipper truck laden with Murram for Wak Construction.
“The truck was weighed in the presence of the truck driver and found with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of 30850kg. This was an excess overload of 2850kgs after allowing a tolerance of 2000kgs,” KeNHA stated.
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The truck driver was then served with a Prohibition Order directing him to remove the vehicle from the road until compliance is attained and a notice to attend court (NTAC).
The driver, however, disobeyed police directives to drive the truck to the Narok Police Station.
He locked himself in the truck, forcing the officers to remove both front and rear registration numbers.
“He disobeyed Police instructions to drive the truck to Narok police station and locked himself in the car, thus forcing the police officers on duty to remove both front and rear registration numbers,” KenHA stated.
The authority said the truck driver was booked at Narok Police Station and the vehicle was tagged in the KeNHA Weighbridge Management System (KENLOAD V2) for monitoring.
KeNHA warned truck drivers against overloading, saying it has launched a crackdown both day and night to ensure full compliance.
“The Authority warns transporters against overloading even at night and has mounted continuous night surveillance to ascertain compliance,” KeNHA added.
The authority relies on the Traffic Act and the East Africa Vehicle Load Control Act to ensure compliance with axle weight limits among transporters.
According to the East Africa Vehicle Load Control Act, all vehicles weighing more than 3,500 kilograms must be weighed at weighbridges.
On February, Transport CS Davis Chirchir announced that the government would install 28 additional weighbridges across various highways to improve monitoring of overloaded vehicles.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by regulation 9(2) of the Kenya Roads (Kenya National Highways Authority) Regulations, 2013, the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport increases the number of installed weighbridges set out in Part II of the Schedule of the Regulations, with the weighbridges set out in the Schedule hereto,” the notice stated.
The new weighbridges include: Kikambala, Kanyonyo, Awendo, Dongo Kundu, Laisamis, Malaba, Ahero, Eldoret, Mayoni, Kamulu, and Kaloleni.
Others are at Yatta, Sabaki, Mwatate, Kibwezi, Emali, Malili, Madogo, Mau Summit, Kajiado, Eldama Ravine, Cheptiret, Mukumu, and Kapenguria.
