President William Ruto’s proposal to introduce toll stations on major highways, including the Thika Superhighway, has sparked debates across Kenya.
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) recently revealed that plans are underway to implement a road tolling policy across several highways.
The tolls are intended to raise funds for road maintenance and development, filling a gap that the government identified after launching several infrastructure projects that lacked proper maintenance strategies.
KeNHA emphasized that public participation will be a key aspect of the policy development, aiming to address concerns from the public.
The authority plans to engage stakeholders at every stage to ensure inclusivity and transparency.
Among the roads targeted for tolling are the Thika Superhighway, Nairobi Southern Bypass, and the Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit Highway.
Critics, including politicians like Kalonzo Musyoka, have expressed their concerns, arguing that tolls would place an unnecessary burden on Kenyans already dealing with high taxes.
Kalonzo recently advised President Ruto to first focus on building and maintaining roads before considering tolls as a solution, questioning the fairness of taxing citizens for roads already constructed with their tax contributions.
