By John Mutiso
Great Net SACCO chairman Kennedy Karisa has called for the harmonization of the national and county governments’ levies to avoid double taxation at numerous roadblocks along Kenyan roads.
Speaking at a sensitization forum where he warned drivers about the dangers of overloading, Karisa said that traders have to pay in the inter-county movements which not only affects the transporters but also the producers.
Karisa said that the most notorious counties for double taxation are Kiambu, Machakos, Nairobi and Kajiado warning that they will be taking legal action against these cunning counties.
“We are not seeing where these taxes are going in improving the lives of a transporter,” he told the Uzalendo News after the gathering.
According to the chairperson, the levies imposed at different Cess points often force drivers into losses adding that 75% – 80% of counties do not support businesses.
“By counties putting multiple levies on roads, they are not only stifling the transporter, but they are also stifling the farmer, the person who owns a shop, the buyer who buys these building materials because all these charges come up in the final cost of the product,” he said.
However, he praised the Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) for providing a special permit that gives them the leeway to transport loads that can’t be defined weight from the source.
“Since KeNHA came, we sat with them and they said for the local transporters, there is an allowance where you can be charged or not depending on if you exceeded that allowance.
“However, the allowance is supposed to be for the eventualities that occur along the road because the transporter didn’t intend to overload. For instance, a transporter who’s carrying sand and it rains, clearly, he didn’t have the intention to overload,” he stated.
The warning comes amid heightened enforcement along major corridors. Insurance industry representatives often say that overloading remains one of the leading reasons for declined claims following serious accidents involving the transport and logistics sector.
KeNHA officials used the forum to remind transporters that exceeding axle load limits not only damages road infrastructure but also triggers fines and prolonged delays at weighbridge stations.
They urged fleet owners to invest in regular vehicle maintenance and load planning to ensure compliance.
The National Transport and Safety Authority appealed for greater discipline on the roads, especially during the festive season when traffic volumes surge.
Stakeholders described the Nairobi meeting as part of an ongoing nationwide sensitisation drive aimed at protecting both road users and the expanding highway network.
Similar engagements have already taken place in Nairobi, Nakuru and Eldoret.
Karisa further noted that transporters who consistently observe traffic laws and axle load regulations enjoy better relations with financial institutions.
“Banks prefer clients with clean compliance records,” he said. “Those who protect their vehicles and follow the law access favourable loan terms because they present lower risk.”
