KeNHA
The Kenya Transporters Association Ltd (KTA) has accused the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) of showing favouritism in its implementation of policies regulating overloading across major highways.
The KTA Chairperson, Newton Wang’oo, released a statement claiming that some transport Saccos are exempted from the frequent crackdowns carried out by KeNHA to search for offenders.
The truckers’ umbrella body claims that KeNHA allowed some truckers to carry excess loads which in turn allowed them to make extra money.
This, they argue, has given some truckers an added advantage at the expense of those who are still subjected to the strict policies.
Furthermore, the truckers alleged that the “favoured Saccos” take advantage of the situation by compelling truckers to pay huge amounts of money as a condition to join the Sacco and benefit from the exemption.
“It is, therefore, very surprising that KeNHA has illegally facilitated various transport Saccos to overload trucks above and beyond the gazetted gross/axle weight limits on the pretence that they are carrying building and construction materials and, therefore, are exempted from the road axle load limit,” the statement reads in part.
The KTA has warned that sustained discrimination in implementing the rules governing the weight limits of commercial truckers is bound to be detrimental to KeNHA’s mandate of maintaining roads.
According to the truckers, overload is overload, and it damages the roads, therefore questioning the fairness in arresting and imposing huge fines on trucks for overloading by 2 tons while letting other trucks overload and damage the roads based on what they are carrying.
“Where is the fairness in arresting and imposing huge fines on trucks for overloading by 2 tons while letting other trucks overload and damage the roads based on what they are carrying? Overload is overload and it damages the roads,” the statement adds.
The truckers’ association has downplayed KeNHA’s recent nationwide crackdown on truck drivers and the fines slapped on the owners, terming them as a mockery and dishonesty by the authority.
KeNHA is yet to respond to the statement issued by the truckers and the policies subjected to questions.
In January, officers drawn from the authority arrested a truck driver along Mombasa Road after he was caught ferrying construction sand weighing over 24 tonnes.
KeNHA slapped the truck with a fine of Ksh13 million, a move that sparked uproar from the trucking community.
