Kenyan Motorists to Start Paying Toll Fees
Kenyan motorists may soon begin to incur toll fees as motion was recently backed by members of the national assembly.
Molly Ajando
Tolls fees are the amount of money charged for the use of a highway, certain roads, bridges, etc. It is often charged on privately acquired land and roads built and funded by private investors.
The user pays a fee for the road’s upkeep and maintenance as they drive on it. Often, toll roads tend to be the faster and less congested routes.
Road tolls were first implemented in Kenya in the late 1980s, but they were phased out in the mid-1990s in favor of the Roads Maintenance Levy, which was introduced to minimize corruption at toll stations.
The National Assembly’s Committee on Delegated Legislation, a week ago, approved the Public Finance Management (National Road Toll Fund) Regulations 2021 which awaits MP’s approval.
If passed, the toll road fee will be introduced on major roads such as Thika Road, Jogoo Road, Southern Bypass, Nairobi-Nakuru Highway, and Nyali Bridge.
The law empowers the Transport Cabinet Secretary to declare any road or a portion, including a bridge or tunnel on a public road, as a toll road.
Kenyans are expected to pay between Sh100 and Sh1,550 in toll charges, depending on the size of the vehicle and the distance covered.
The regulations set the stage for the introduction of the fees in the new financial year starting 1st July on major roads and highways.
However, will there be alternative routes provided by the Government, for those who are unable to pay, or those who do not want to use the new roads or any highway declared as a toll road?
We have to wait for the Parliament to inform Kenyans.
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