Long-distance buses ferrying thousands of Kenyans home for Christmas have been put on notice to avoid overloading to meet demand.
Speaking at the busy Athi River weighbridge station on Thursday, Mr Peter Njoroge, the site contractor for Danka Africa (K) Limited which operates the facility on behalf of KeNHA, told journalists that every vehicle, including passenger service vehicles (PSVs), is subject to the East African Community (EAC) axle load limits without exception.
“Whether it is a 62-seater bus or a truck carrying goods, the scale does not discriminate,” Mr Njoroge said during a media tour organised by KeNHA.
“We have recorded a compliance rate of 99 per cent in recent weeks, proving that the message is finally sinking in.”
Previously, some bus operators overloaded luggage compartments and roofs during peak travel periods.
That practice, Mr Njoroge stressed, is now firmly in the past as KeNHA steps up protection of the Sh3 trillion road network built or rehabilitated over the last decade.
To smooth relations, major bus companies have formed associations that regularly meet KeNHA officials for training, calibration of onboard weighing systems and policy dialogue.
“We are not here to punish but to partner,” Mr Njoroge added. “When a bus is flagged, drivers are given time to offload excess luggage or redistribute it safely before proceeding.”
KeNHA says it will roll out additional mobile and permanent weighbridges along key corridors as part of its 2025-2030 strategic plan.
Motorists interviewed at Athi River welcomed the stricter regime, saying it has reduced the frequency of deadly accidents caused by brake failure on steep gradients.
