An association of truckers on Friday, February 10, accused the Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) of favouritism in the implementation of policies used to regulate overloading across major highways.
In a statement shared by the Kenya Transporters Association Ltd (KTA) Chairperson Newton Wang’oo, the truckers’ umbrella body claimed it was privy to cases where some transport saccos are exempted from the frequent crackdowns carried out by KeNHA in search of offenders.
They warned that sustained discrimination in implementing the rules governing weight limits of commercial truckers would be detrimental to KeNHA’s mandate of maintaining roads.
In the statement, the truckers alleged that KeNHA allowed some truckers to carry excess loads which in turn allowed them to make extra money.
They claimed that the indulgence handed some truckers an added advantage at the expense of the truckers who were still subjected to the strict policies.
In addition, the Truckers Association noted that the “favoured saccos” took 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.
“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 read in part.
The truckers 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 was 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 a section of Kenyans.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE