The Kenya National Highways Authority (KENHA) is now encouraging heavy commercial truck owners to form SACCOs that will help the transporters to self-regulate in a bid to reduce cases of trucks flouting the axle load rules through overloading.
Addressing sand transporters during the launch of KIAMA Sacco Society Limited, a self-regulating Sacco in Thika Sub-County, KeNHA Axle Load Control Manager Eng. Muita Ngatia said that the move was aimed at enhancing axle load limits compliance so as to clamp down on overloading that has wrecked the country’s road arteries, endangered the public and added unnecessary and preventable burdens on the nation’s taxpayers.
“Initially, we have been having a problem with them(transporters) because of gross overloading, hence we have decided to partner with these Saccos and enlighten them on the advantages of self-regulation as we highlight the dangers of overloading.Primarily, most roads are supposed to last for about 15 years but due to gross overloading, they only last 5 years,” said Ngatia.
Eng. Ngatia said that the roads authority was set to launch more Saccos in order to increase the level of compliance in the region. He added that plans were also at an advanced stage to formulate ways of having an umbrella body that will cater for all the sand and construction transport Saccos, to aid in self-regulation as well as regulating prices of commodities and self-appraisal. He acknowledged that there has been drastic progress with the level of compliance at a high since his authority started partnering with the transporters.
However, he warned that as an authority, they would not relent on imposing very heavy penalties on any transporter who flouted the rules as they were mandated by law to protect the roads.
Eng. Isaiah Onsongo who is the Senior Engineer-axle load control (KeNHA) insisted that this move was for the good of the truck owners since overloading has had negative effect on our businesses.
