5 Roads Where Kenyans Will Have to Pay to Use

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) is set to introduce toll booths on five major highways from 2018, and motorists will have to pay between Sh1.20 and Sh3.59 per kilometer.

Addressing investors at a recent briefing, the body's Director-General Peter Mundinia announced that they would soon advertise tenders for private investors to start managing toll booths and collecting fees on two of the roads; Thika Superhighway and the Southern Bypass.

The Nairobi-Mombasa highway, Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit highway and a second bridge in Nyali are also part of the plan but will first have to be upgraded by the selected private investors who will also run the toll booths. 

“With operation and maintenance, we will require the private partners to undertake continuous maintenance of roads through the life of the contract,’’ Mundinia stated.

The contracts are supposed to be valid for a period of 30 years.

[caption caption="KeNHA Director-General Peter Mundinia at a past contract signing"][/caption]

Various payment options will be available at the toll booths; among them a manual one where motorists stop and pay, an electronic format where cards are used and a third where vehicles are fitted with special tags.

KeNHA had in August proposed a charging formula that is based on vehicle type.

Saloon cars will be charged Sh 1.20 per kilometer while vans and pick-up trucks will pay Sh 1.79 for the same distance.

Medium and large trucks will be charged Sh2.39 and Sh3.59 per kilometer, respectively.

The Matatu Welfare Association, led by Chairman Dickson Mbugua, is already up in arms over the new proposal which they have described as a punishment to road users.

[caption caption="Matatu Welfare Association Chair Dickson Mbugua"][/caption]