Truck drivers claim corrupt system derails their work

By PATRICK BEJA

Claims of corruption have marred operations at the Mariakani weighbridge as Government enforces rules to stop overloading of trucks.

The standoff between truck operators on one side against Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) and police on the other hand has seen more than 100 trucks park on the roadside near the weighbridge for days fearing punishment.

KeNHA axle load control manager Muita Ngatia and police officer in charge of the Mariakani weighbridge Simon Ntutu ole Nkiti vowed to dismantle a cartel of brokers at the facility.

Top KeNHA officials and truck drivers accused each party of high level corruption with the former vowing to use the police to crackdown on a cartel of brokers for allegedly allowing overloaded trucks bribe their way through the facility.

Some drivers claimed overloaded trucks of certain influential individuals were being allowed through while others were falsely accused.

The angry drivers claimed the weighing-in-motion wing they referred to as ‘The Hague’ gave the wrong readings of axle load weight causing them to be punished.

Mr Jonathan Karanja claimed he properly loaded his Canter in Nakuru and it passed through the Gilgil and Mlolongo weighbridges, but was stopped for overloading at Mariakani after passing through the ‘The Hague’ wing.

seeking bail

“I was told my Canter was overloaded by 900kgs and I am trying to raise Sh15,000 cash bond,” he said.

He claimed weighing facility did not display the readings outside as the screen was faulty and suspected the scales were being manipulated.

Mr Gitau Ndirangu said he has always transporting fertiliser but noted that he had been stopped for allegedly overloading by two tones and was surposed to pay Sh20,000 fine.

Robert Gitau, who has been stuck at the weighbridge for five days, claimed there was corruption involving brokers, police officers, and weighbridge operators. He claimed  most trucks are cleared at night when deals are cut.

Duncan Korir claimed his truck was stuck at Mariakani for several days over claims of overloading even after being weighed at a Mombasa loading yard.

Given quick pass

He is supposed to pay Sh60,000 fine. Mr Korir claimed real overloaded vehicles easily pass through after brokers pay Sh5,000 to police and weighbridge officials.

But Mr Ngtia insisted the weighbridge operated SGS was well serviced and calibrated regularly to ensure accurate readings.

“We want to assure stakeholders that contrary to reports received earlier, our weighbridge system is fully functioning and has not experienced any downtime. We also state that the system at Mariakani, which has the capacity to receive and clear well over 2,000 trucks per day, is maintained and calibrated regularly to ensure accurate reading,” said Ngatia.

He said over the last one week, over 100 trucks that have refused to approach the weighbridge.

He also claimed some unscrupulous transporters were relieving part of the load carried into smaller trucks and canters so that they could comply at the weighbridge and thereafter reconstitute after passing the facility.

He said KeNHA would not relent in its effort to ensure compliance to the stipulated axle load limit rules despite the allegations of corruption.

“We are alert to the fact that the stand-off being created by truck operators is simply corruption trying to fight back,” Ngatia said.

He claimed the over 10km traffic jam at Mariakani weighbridge was caused by corruption cartel of brokers.