Police detain Congo truck overloaded by 115 tonnes

A trailer with a record weight of 171.3 tonnes was on Sunday night intercepted in Westlands, Nairobi.

The trailer was on its way to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Kenya National Highways Authority Axle Load Control Manager Muita Ngatia said it was supposed to have a maximum gross weight of 54 tonnes, meaning it was overloaded by 115.3 tonnes.

“These are almost four trucks in one,” he said.

He said the trailer, which was carrying construction materials, plastic basins and other items has passed Mlolongo weighbridge with the required load.
After passing the weighbridge, it was driven to a nearby parking yard for more goods.

“Our officers and the police got the information and tracked it down to Westlands where we ordered it to return to Mlolongo,” Mr Ngatia said.
He said anybody involved in the deal would be taken to court.

AVOIDING WEIGH BRIDGES

Mr Ngatia said many truck drivers were avoiding major weighbridges by using other routes.

“They are using the Mai Mahiu-Narok-Kisumu-Bungoma road to evade our officers but we are determined to get them,” he added.

He said such practices were contributing to the destruction of many roads in the country.

The truck owner faces a fine of Sh200,000 for evading the weighbridge and another Sh200,000 for overloading.

Last week, another truck which had also evaded the weigh bridge was intercepted at City Cabanas. It had exceeded the required weight by about 14 tonnes.

“The legal maximum pavement damage factor for the truck with seven axles is 11 against the above truck’s resultant of 1366. This means it is singly equivalent to 124 compliant trucks stacked on top of each other and moving together on seven axles,” Mr Ngatia said.

Mr Wambua Katithi from the traffic department said police were using unmarked vehicles to track down overloaded lorries dodging weighbridges.