Kenya Transporters Association petition Ruto to stop counties from charging illegal truck fees
KTA accused several counties of imposing extra levies of between Sh500 and Sh30,000 per truck, even when vehicles are merely passing through without stopping, parking, or receiving any services.
The Kenya Transporters Association (KTA) has petitioned President William Ruto and other top officials to stop counties from charging what it terms unlawful and unconstitutional fees on trucks using national roads and transit routes.
In a petition addressed to the President, the Prime Cabinet Secretary, the Council of Governors, and the Attorney General, KTA accused several counties of imposing extra levies of between Sh500 and Sh30,000 per truck, even when vehicles are merely passing through without stopping, parking, or receiving any services.
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Signed by KTA Chairman Newton Wang’oo, the petition claims the charges are crippling the transport business, inflating operational costs, and hurting the wider economy. “Counties must stop collecting these unlawful levies and adopt lawful, sustainable revenue alternatives.
The legal departments of both the National and County Governments must review all bylaws across the 47 counties to ensure full compliance with Article 209(5) of the Constitution,” the statement reads in part.
The association named seven counties as the worst offenders:
• Migori County, led by Governor Ochilo Ayacko, charges Sh500 per truck as a Border Entry Fee on national roads.
• Marsabit County, under Mohamud Ali, demands Sh1,000 per loaded vehicle transiting to and from Ethiopia.
• Tana River County, led by Dhadho Godhana, imposes Sh2,500 as an Entry/Parking Fee per truck, even if no stop is made.
• Kajiado County, under Joseph Ole Lenku, charges Sh2,000 per truck for a Transit Fee on national highways.
• Kilifi County, led by Gideon Mung’aro, demands Sh500 as an Entry/Parking Fee per truck without any stop or service.
• Kwale County, under Fatuma Achani, levies Sh2,500 per truck as a Transit Fee on national roads.
• Machakos County, led by Wavinya Ndeti, imposes an annual Truck Registration Fee of Sh2,500 for any loading or offloading, with penalties of Sh30,000 and an impounding charge of Sh5,000 for non-compliance.
KTA further accused counties of misusing branding and distribution permit laws to harass transporters. The association says some counties charge branding fees for displaying a company name on a truck and demand annual distribution permits costing between Sh60,000 and Sh150,000 per truck, even for a one-off delivery.
According to KTA, these levies are fuelling corruption at county checkpoints, increasing the cost of doing business, and pushing up commodity prices.
The association is calling for a full legal review of county bylaws to scrap provisions that violate the Constitution and for counties to adopt fairer revenue collection measures.
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