• The move is aimed at generating revenue to enable the government maintain current roads and build new ones.
• Murkomen said the government is struggling with a huge infrastructural project financing gaps running into billions of shillings.
Image: FILE
You will soon be required to pay a fee to use major roads and highways.
Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen has revealed plans to introduce a legislation to establish toll stations in new highways set to be constructed by the government.
The move, he said, is aimed at generating revenue to enable the government maintain current roads and build new ones.
Murkomen said the government is struggling with a huge infrastructural project financing gap running into billions of shillings.
The government is also struggling with pending bills amounting to Sh150 billion for completed projects.
He said his ministry is working on a Bill to pave the way for the plan.
The CS did not reveal when the Bill will be sent to Parliament or when the new roads will be completed.
The former Elgeyo Marakwet senator was answering questions from senators on Wednesday.
“I will be coming back here with a tolling Bill to be presented in Parliament for approval,” Murkomen said.
“We will want Parliament to pass legislation to enable the major roads to generate money to enable us to expand the roads.”
The CS said the move to introduce the toll charges on the planned new major highways will help in generating money to fund infrastructure projects outlined by the Roads ministry.
Last month, the CS disclosed that some of the road projects earmarked to pioneer the tolling include Athi River-Namanga Road and Galleria-Rongai-Ngong-Karen Shopping Centre.
Others are Sirare-Lowdar, Mombasa to Malaba, Makutano-Timau-Meru-Isiolo and Corridor C and D roads such as Museum Hill-Moyale.
He said individuals unwilling to pay toll fees would have the freedom to utilise alternative routes available to reach their destinations.
“We are currently in talks with contractors for the Rironi to Mau Summit corridor and afterwards we will bring the Bill to Parliament,” he said.
In 2022, Murkomen said it was time to identify high-density roads and put in place a tolling policy with a fee that is commensurate to the savings that the motorists will get.
Nairobi Expressway is the only road in Kenya with toll charges.
Murkomen said the actualisation of the proposal will ensure delivery of what he termed as cutting-edge infrastructure projects.
He said the revenue from tolls can supplement government budgets and enable agencies to invest more in infrastructure without relying only on budgetary allocations.
Murkomen said Kenya has a problem of budget allocation for infrastructural projects.
He said his ministry has a pending bill of Sh150 billion, which continues to earn interest and growing every day, yet the budgetary allocation for the current financial year is only Sh46 billion.
“Most projects funded under the development vote are progressing much slower than they ought to be. And if we go at this rate, then we will complete the roads in 15 years,” he said.
Murkomen said the Kenya National Highways Authority has been faced with financial challenges due to inadequate budget allocations.
He said the agency is targeting to construct 2,349km of roads across the country, comprising 1,183km of new roads, 674km constructed to enhance capacity and 492km to be rehabilitated.
In its strategic plan for the next five years, Kenha said it needs Sh708 billion to improve the road infrastructure network in the country.
“We need Sh150 billion to clear pending bills in the next financial year to start constructing new roads,” Murkomen said.