State, World Bank plan weighbridge reforms

By Kipkirui K’telewa

Corruption at Kenya’s weighbridges will be a thing of the past, following major reforms geared towards eradicating the vice by the Government.

The radical reforms, driven by the Government and the World Bank (WB) will phase out manual inspection of vehicles by officers from the Ministry of Roads and install new computerised scales to remove manual ones.

Effectively, this will ensure recommended axle weights on Kenya’s highways are adhered to and eliminate collusion between officers manning these outlets and bulk transporters.

At the same time, the Government has contracted three companies to man weighbridges in a bid to improve efficiency and congestion.

The three firms will begin operations by mid next month, as part of the WB and Government of Kenya driven road reforms.

Traffic Act

The Roads ministry said the ongoing major infrastructural development by the Government and the WB are pegged on effective management of axle load as stipulated by the Traffic Act and enforced by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA).

To avoid collusion and enhance effectiveness to axle load, the contractor manning Mariakani weighbridge will have its work audited by the Mlolongo based contractor, who in turn will be checked by GilGil.

In total, there are 13 weighbridges in Kenya, five of them fixed and the rest portable — at Mariakani, Athi River, GilGil, Webuye and Isebania. The portable ones are stationed at Juja, Mai Mahiu, Eldoret, Malaba, Kisumu, Isinya and Mtwapa.

The role of the weighbridges is to ensure compliance to permitted axle load limits and gross vehicle weights for drivers, truck and bulk liquid tankers and loaders.

Red-tape

This intervention will end collusion between various state agents based at weighbridges, ensure compliance, inculcate efficiency and effectively eradicate corruption.

KeNHA Director General Engineer Meshack Kidenda confirmed the new developments, but said the new firms will take over in two weeks.

"The Government has instituted major changes in the management of the roads sector and specifically Kenya’s national highways," Kidenda said.

He said the Government had also put in place mobile spot checks along all highways in a bid to catch up with axle cheats.

Kidenda said that despite a major campaign to educate transporters on the need to maintain axle load, some were still not in compliance, and said the Government will deal firmly with the offenders.

Good roads, Kidenda said was a prerequisite to development, adding that his Authority will protect roads from rogue contractors, since lack of compliance amounted to an economic crime.

He warned transporters, the Police and other Government agencies that KeNHA has partnered with the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission to nab those engaging in the vice at weighbridges.

Funding is pegged on compliance to axle load on the Sh.12 billion Merire-Marsabit-Ethiopia roads, the Thika Super Highways and all other major roads in Kenya.