The Ngong-Suswa road/COURTESY
The Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) has attributed the rapid deterioration of the Ngong-Suswa road to persistent overloading by heavy commercial vehicles, saying some trucks using the road carry loads up to five times the permitted axle limit.
In a notice issued Thursday in response to concerns by a section of Kenyans, the authority said the road is currently undergoing phased maintenance to repair damaged sections and improve safety for motorists following public concern over its condition.
KeRRA said the Ngong-Suswa road has been open to traffic for the last eight years, with the final section only completed in December 2025.
According to the authority, the road was designed to accommodate a maximum axle load of 10 tonnes per axle, but has routinely been subjected to vehicles carrying loads of up to 50 tonnes, significantly accelerating pavement deterioration.
"The Ngong-Suswa road was constructed with axle load limits of up to 10 tonnes per axle; however, the road has been subjected to traffic carrying up to 50 tonnes, which has accelerated its deterioration," KeRRA said.
The authority noted that the damage is particularly evident on the right-hand side of the road when travelling towards Suswa, where heavy trucks have caused extensive wear.
To curb the problem, KeRRA said it has installed the Ngong-Suswa-Ewaso-Kedong Virtual Weighbridge to detect overloaded vehicles and enforce compliance with axle load regulations under the Traffic Act.
It said motorists and transporters found violating the law have already been arrested and charged.
"The Authority has installed a virtual weighbridge to detect overloaded vehicles and enforce axle load limit compliance. Offenders not complying have been arrested and charged," the notice reads.
KeRRA said maintenance works are being undertaken in phases to address pavement distress caused by overloading while ensuring the road remains accessible to road users.
The authority added that it is continuously improving the road to cope with increasing traffic volumes.
It appealed to transporters and other road users to adhere to the stipulated load limits to safeguard the national road asset and reduce the cost of frequent repairs.
"The Authority is continuously improving the road to meet high traffic usage," it said.
The notice comes amid growing public concern over the condition of the strategic road linking Ngong, Suswa and surrounding areas, with motorists raising complaints over damaged sections and travel delays.
KeRRA maintained that compliance with axle load limits remains critical in preserving the road and ensuring its longevity, urging all road users to support enforcement efforts by observing the legal weight restrictions.
It further put on notice those vandalising road signage along the route that they will be arrested.
