Happening now: One-on-one with President William Ruto
Uproar over increased Expressway toll charges as state defends move
Nairobi Expressway along Waiyaki Way, Westlands. The government has gazetted new charges starting January 1, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Cabinet Secretary for Roads, Transport and Public Works Kipchumba Murkomen defended the move and denied claims that new charges have been increased by 50 per cent.
- The increase is proportional and is due to fluctuating shilling against the dollar says CS.
The government has defended the newly published charges for motorists using the Nairobi Expressway which came into effect on January 1.
Cabinet Secretary for Roads, Transport and Public Works Kipchumba Murkomen defended the move and denied claims that new charges have been increased by 50 per cent.
The new charges have risen from Sh100 to Sh310 and Sh170 to Sh500 from Mlolongo to Westlands while from Mlolongo to SGR and Eastern Bypass has risen from Sh100 to Sh250 while Eastern Bypass has increased from Sh210 to Sh330.
Those exiting at Museum Hill, the Mall, and Haile Selassie will pay Sh410 from the previous Sh210.
Alego Usonga MP Sam Atandi demanded an explanation from the CS for increased charges.
“What is the justification for raising expenses way rates by 50 percent?” posed the legislator.
President William Ruto has previously opposed the charges during the 2022 campaigns.
“You cannot charge people for using a road. We are going to deploy it to be available to as many people as possible so that we can remove all the spaces where there is taxation. Taxation will be taken on products, not the highway,” Dr Ruto stated before he was elected.
But like many past statements related to taxation, the President and his administration have reneged on it and continue to pile up taxes on citizens already facing tough economic times.
“The increase is proportional and is due to fluctuating shilling against the dollar,” Mr Murkomen explained.
He further said the charges were adjusted based on the Project Agreement.
“The formulae for computing the new rates are as per the signed agreement. The Cabinet Secretary and the government of Kenya have no discretion but to follow the agreement as established in 2021,” Mr Murkomen stated.
“The good thing about Expressway is first that the consumer has an alternative route which is not tolled.”
Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina said the government cannot increase the charges without parliamentary approval.
“The Executive cannot do anything without the approval of parliament or taxpayers,” Mr Kina stated.
“Before you increase any rates public participation process and parliament must be involved,” Mr Kina stated.
The government is revamping the expressway and the project is expected to be completed before the end of this month.
The highway is managed by Moja Expressway and has reduced the time taken to drive from the City centre to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to 20 minutes from the previous two hours.
An exit at Green Park Plaza will have five toll lanes, the one at Museum Hill with three lanes will see it increased to five.
Mr Steve Zhao, the Moja Expressway Chief Executive Officer recently stated that more than 200,000 ETC subscribers were using the highway with the company employing 540 Kenyans.
The government plans to construct an expressway from Nairobi to Mombasa to decongest the highway and also the Nairobi-Nakuru-Eldoret-Malaba highway.
