Kenya’s transport and logistics sector is recording some of its strongest compliance levels in recent memory, with axle load violations falling sharply as transporters embrace structured self regulation.
The shift, backed by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), is quietly reshaping how the country safeguards its roads while keeping goods moving across key corridors.
For years, chronic overloading was a costly, grinding problem. Heavy trucks battered the road network, triggering frequent repairs and inflating maintenance budgets. Weighbridges became choke points, slowing freight and fuelling open hostility between operators and regulators. Enforcement was built around roadside checks and punitive fines, a model that drained resources and delivered little long term change.
The tone has now shifted. Transport companies are policing themselves long before trucks approach a weighbridge. Many firms have installed their own weighing stations, backed by digital tracking systems and fleet management software that flags excess loads in real time. Violations are addressed at the loading bay, not at the enforcement point. As a result, far fewer trucks reach the highway overweight.
KeNHA, once seen largely as an enforcement body, has moved towards collaboration. The authority is working with transporters’ associations to set shared standards and strengthen internal accountability. Regular forums bring industry players together to exchange data, compare compliance records and address issues along the network. The approach has created a more stable regulatory climate and reduced the friction that once defined weighbridge operations.
Technology is underpinning much of the progress. Onboard sensors, automated load monitoring and digital logbooks have given operators clearer visibility of axle distribution and cargo movement. These tools are proving cheaper and more reliable than the cycle of penalties, delays and weighbridge disputes that previously dominated the sector.
A stronger legal framework has reinforced the shift. The East African Community Vehicle Load Control Act of 2016 standardises axle limits across the regional trunk road network, covering seven countries and obliging all vehicles above 3.5 tonnes to weigh at designated stations. The penalties remain steep enough to grab attention, but operators acknowledge that modern monitoring systems leave little room for “accidental” overloading.
KeNHA says the impact is evident. Violations at major weighbridges have fallen, and transit times along high traffic routes have improved. With less strain on key roads, long term maintenance costs are expected to drop, easing pressure on public budgets.
