KeNHA reports 99% axle-load compliance: How Kenya regulates heavy trucks

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) says axle-load compliance across key transport corridors has risen above 99%, crediting increased monitoring, automated weighbridges and engagement with truck drivers, fleet owners and cargo loaders.

The authority's latest update, reported on November 12, 2026, highlights improved compliance at Juja Weighbridge along Thika Road and Kanyonyo Weighbridge on the Thika-Garissa Road.

Juja processes approximately 3,000 trucks daily, with between five and 10 reportedly found non-compliant.

Kanyonyo handles about 1,500 trucks daily, with an average of two overloaded vehicles detected.

KeNHA says it has also stepped up sensitisation at quarries, industrial sites and cargo-loading points, where transporters are advised on legal weight limits and proper load distribution before beginning their journeys.

What is axle load?

Axle load refers to the weight carried by an individual axle of a vehicle.

An axle is the central shaft or assembly connecting a vehicle's wheels.

For a heavy truck, the weight of the cargo must be distributed across its axles within prescribed limits.

A truck may be within its overall permitted weight but still violate the law if too much of that weight rests on one axle or axle group.

For example, a truck carrying sand or construction materials can overload its rear axles if the cargo is concentrated towards the back rather than distributed correctly.

Kenya regulates both individual axle loads and gross vehicle weight, which is the combined weight of the vehicle and its load.

Kenya's legal axle-load limits

The East African Community Vehicle Load Control Act, 2016, provides the following maximum axle loads for the specified configurations:

Axle configuration vs Maximum permitted load

• Single axle, two conventional tyres - 8 tonnes

• Single axle, four conventional tyres - 10 tonnes

• Tandem axle, eight conventional tyres - 18 tonnes

• Tandem axle, four super-single tyres - 16 tonnes

• Tridem axle, 12 conventional tyres - 24 tonnes

• Tridem axle, six super-single tyres - 22.5 tonnes

A tandem axle consists of two closely grouped axles, while a tridem comprises three.

The law also sets the maximum gross vehicle weight at 56 tonnes, subject to a maximum of seven axles and compliance with the prescribed bridge formula, which considers axle spacing and weight distribution.

These limits are not interchangeable.

Meeting the overall vehicle weight requirement does not excuse overloading an individual axle.

How weighbridges catch overloaded trucks

KeNHA operates several forms of weighing infrastructure.

Static weighbridges require trucks to stop on a weighing platform so that their weight can be measured.

Virtual weighbridges use High-Speed Weigh-in-Motion technology.

Sensors and cameras capture vehicle information, classify the truck and transmit the data to a control centre for analysis.

Vehicles can be screened without the same conventional stopping process.

Mobile weighbridges allow enforcement teams to conduct checks along routes without permanent weighing stations.

KeNHA says the combination of these systems has expanded its ability to monitor trucks, including those using feeder roads and alternative routes.

What happens when a truck is overloaded?

Under the EAC vehicle-load control framework, the transporter is responsible for applicable overloading fees.

An overloaded vehicle cannot simply be cleared to continue its journey.

Excess cargo must be offloaded or redistributed until the vehicle meets the prescribed limits, after which it is weighed again.

The fee depends on the extent of the overload and the applicable axle and gross-weight schedules.

A vehicle may also be detained while the required charges are settled.

Section 58 of Kenya's Traffic Act provides for a court penalty of up to Sh400,000, imprisonment for up to two years, or both for offences involving overloading.

The applicable overloading fees and court fines are separate enforcement measures.

Why Kenya is strict on truck weights

Overloaded trucks place excessive pressure on road surfaces and bridges, accelerating deterioration and increasing public maintenance costs.

They also create safety risks.

Excess weight can affect braking, vehicle stability, tyre performance and the ability to control a truck, particularly on steep roads and during emergency manoeuvres.

For a country whose economy depends heavily on road transport to move imports from Mombasa to inland markets and neighbouring states, controlling truck weights is also an infrastructure protection measure.

KeNHA's reported improvement is encouraging, but sustaining it requires reliable weighing equipment, consistent enforcement and cooperation from the people who load, own and operate commercial vehicles.