Motorists on Nairobi roads. Photo/businessdaily
Motorists will have to pay to use certain major highways from next year, the government has said.
Earnest plans have been put in place to introduce toll stations. On five major roads in a bid to raise funds to maintain Kenya’s road network.
Reports indicate that by the third quarter of 2018, the toll stations will be operational.
Key roads on target are; the Nairobi-Mombasa highway, the Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit highway, Thika Road and the Nairobi’s Southern Bypass.
The state argues that the move is transformative and will boost the economy.
According to the Kenya National Highways Authority (KENHA) the Nairobi-Mombasa and Nairobi-Nakuru highways will be developed by private developers who will then begin charging motorists.
KENHA engineer Stanley Mwawasi said; “There will be three formats of charging toll fees at tollbooths that will include a manual format where motorists stop and pay, an electronic system that uses prepaid cards that can be swiped and a third system in which vehicles may be fitted with tags.”
KENHA recommends charges of Sh1.20 per kilometres for passenger cars, Sh1.79 for matatus and pick-ups, Sh2.39 for buses and medium trucks and Sh3.59 for large trucks.
The Public Private Partnership Act of 2014 allows private sector parties to finance, construct, develop, operate or maintain government roads through concession arrangements and then charge a fee for using a road they manage.
The Matatu Welfare Association has opposed the proposal with the chairman Dickson Mbugua arguing it translates to double taxation given the existence of the fuel levy which is supposed to maintain the roads.
He said already the sector was remitting a lot of taxes and such a move would be a punishment to them.