KeNHA steps up crackdown on trucks and vandals of road infrastructure
National
By
Olivia Odhiambo
| Oct 01, 2025
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has stepped up a crackdown on overloading trucks and vandalism on the road's infrastructure.
The authority said overloading along major roads was undermining the investment and taxpayers billions used annually in repairs and reconstruction.
According to officials from KeNHA officials, they have invested about Sh3.5 trillion in the national highway's investment.
Jared Makori, KeNHA's deputy director in charge of axle load control, argued that overloading and vandalism were eroding gains made from the country’s investment in the roads.
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Makori said that any time 10 percent of the Sh3.5 trillion road networks are destroyed, the authority loses hundreds of billions of shillings every year.
“Even partial damage to the road network translates to colossal losses. That means higher maintenance budgets, delayed development elsewhere, and in extreme cases, total reconstruction. Overloading is a menace that shortens the lifespan of roads and endangers lives,” he noted.
He said that failure to enforce compliance has already led to premature deterioration of major highways, leading to the loss of a number of roads.
He noted that they have constructed 13 static weighbridges, installed 26 virtual weigh stations, and deployed mobile weigh scales along major roads in the country.
“This is to bolster surveillance. The virtual system, which feeds into a central platform, has been designed to provide real-time data on compliance trends, enabling faster response and reducing human interference. At weighbridges, truckers are weighed with almost zero human interaction, which minimizes corruption opportunities,” he added.
Makori noted that they were also investing in more virtual stations to cover uncovered routes and reduce overreliance on personnel.
“KeNHA is enforcing axle load limits under the Traffic Act, CAP 403, the Kenya Roads Act, and the East African Community Vehicle Load Control Act and so compliance is not negotiable. Our mission is to ensure every truck on our trunk road network is weighed and kept within the set limits. This is the only way to preserve our roads,” he said.
He added: “The agency has roped in the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to bolster enforcement efforts. Corruption is a hindrance to the enforcement drive, where some rogue officers are complacent, leading to the clearance of overloaded trucks.”
According to Makori, KeNHA is also battling rampant vandalism of road assets, especially signage and guardrails, often stolen for the scrap metal trade.
He noted that they have lost a significant number of signs, which puts the public at risk.
Engineer Julius Mak'Odero, KeNHA’s Regional Director for Nyanza, said corruption in the transport chain undermines enforcement, while overloaded trucks are more difficult to control and often cause fatal accidents.
Mak'Odero urged transporters to end the unnecessary game with authorities, stressing that compliance benefits businesses as well as the public.