This archive report was first published on 30 July 2019.
Kenya's motorists are in for a shock as the government plans to introduce hefty tolls on the Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit highway, with heavy vehicles facing charges of up to Sh7,290 per kilometre.
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has recommended that high-capacity vehicles like transit lorries pay Sh30 per kilometre to use the toll road, while low-capacity vehicles like saloon cars will pay Sh6 per kilometre on the 243km stretch.
According to KeNHA director-general Peter Mundinia, the toll fees will be used to fund the construction of the highway, which is being built through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
The Rift Valley Connect (RVC) has already started construction of the Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit highway, which is expected to cost Sh180 billion.
Another highway, the JKIA-Westlands expressway, will cost Sh50 billion and will have about 10 interchanges based on the project design.
Motorists will pay the toll fees at designated stations, with the option to pay in cash, through credit cards, or through an automated payment system.
KeNHA has identified four provisional tolling stations, one after the Rironi interchange, a second one on A8 South (along Naivasha-Mai Mahiu), the third at the Gilgil weighbridge, and the last one at Salgaa.
The government plans to use the funds received from the toll fees to invest in the PPP pacts, maintenance of major arteries, and expansion of the road network countrywide.
According to Mundinia, motorists who do not wish to use the toll highways can still rely on other roads connecting the towns to the capital, but will have to cope with heavy snarl-ups.
