Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has proposed the tolling of main highways in the country, which means Kenyans will have to pay to use specific roads if the proposal is adopted.
Murkomen challenged the Kenya National Highways Authority Board to consider his proposal during their launch of its 2023-2027 Strategic Plan.
“The Public-Private Partnership model remains our key strategy in delivering cutting-edge infrastructural projects. We must find ways of tolling our main highways and transfer the benefits to Kenyans.”
He added that the “current funding models, including the Roads Maintenance Levy will no longer be sufficient”.
Murkomen also revealed plans to drop the annuity programme of building roads, which he said is costly, and instead use normal contracting.
“Delivering a 45km road under annuity will cost Ksh 15 billion. To do the same length and standard of road under the normal contracting will cost Ksh 3 billion, including maintenance. The Ilasit-Njukini Road, which connects Kajiado and Taita Taveta counties, and which should have been done under the annuity programme will now be delivered under normal contracting. Construction will begin in March. ”
Roads proposed for tolling
Murkomen recommended the tolling of several roads, including Athi River-Namanga Road, Kiambu Road, Mombasa-Malaba Road, and Galleria-Rongai-Ngong-Karen Road arguing that,
“We have many alternative routes along these routes that can be used by those who do not wish to pay toll fees.”
The idea of tolling main highways in the country has not sat well with Kenyans, with many on social media questioning why they should be charged for using roads their taxes have built.
Nairobi Senator and ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has reacted to the news saying,
“Kibaki and Raila built most if not all of these roads with our money. When you drive on roads, you will see signs by KeNHA telling you your taxes were used to build and maintain those roads. Ruto has built nothing. He cannot tax us for using our own roads.”
The first tolled highway in Kenya
The Nairobi Express Way introduced Kenyans to road tolling. Users are able to beat traffic and save time at a fee, while those who cannot pay the toll fees are forced to deal with traffic jams on congested roads.
The Express Way was built under the Uhuru Kenyatta government spearheaded by the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) Director Major General Mohamed Badi.
The construction of the Express Way began in 2019 and was officially opened for use in July 2022 by Kenyatta.
However, the proposal to introduce toll stations on other already-built highways raises eyebrows among many Kenyans.
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