Kenya invites bids for Nairobi toll stations

Solitary section of Southern by-pass at late night. [Photo: James Mwangi]

The Government is seeking to recruit a private investor to maintain and operate the Southern Bypass and the Nairobi–Mau Summit road.

This sets the stage for the implementation of the road toll policy under which Kenyans will start paying to use key highways.

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) yesterday said it is looking for a local or international company that would undertake construction, repairs and general maintenance of the road. The firm will also put up and operate toll stations on the Southern Bypass and the Nairobi-Mau Summit roads.

The engagement will be through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model, where the firm selected is expected to design, finance and construct some segments of the Nairobi-Mau Summit road that are in dire need of expansion and rehabilitation.

The company will also operate and maintain the roads, which will include operating toll stations, and eventually transfer it to the Government after the end of contract period. “The project consists of the widening, improvement, operation and maintenance of various sections of highway between Nairobi and Mau Summit,” said Kenha in an advert yesterday.

The highways authority said the works will include the expansion of the 175 km highway between Rironi and Mau Summit to a four-lane dual carriageway, the strengthening of the 57.8 km between Rironi and Naivasha, and operation and maintenance of the 12.43 km of highway between Gitaru and Rironi and 28.6 km of the Nairobi Southern Bypass.

The Nairobi Southern Bypass and the Nairobi-Mau Summit roads are among the key highways the Ministry of Transport said it would partner with private sector to improve, maintain and operate. The other roads are Nairobi-Mombasa; second Nyali bridge that will connect Mombasa Island to the mainland; and Thika Superhighway.

The move has elicited concerns that toll fees will increase the cost of living for Kenyans, with transporters passing the cost to the public.

DISAPPOINTED

Consumers Federation of Kenya (Cofek) said the move would amount to multiple taxation, as Kenyans are already paying Road Maintenance Levy of Sh18 per litre of fuel. “Any additional taxation or pay-to-drive tax will be an expensive undertaking both for private and passenger service vehicles,” said Cofek Cofek Stephen Mutoro.

“Government has never separately accounted for use of the Road Maintenance Levy on fuel. There is, therefore, no justification whatsoever to have the levy run concurrently with the tolling levy within the affected counties.”

“We wish to advise KeNHA to go slow on the project. It must make wider and honest consultations so that the project does not run into conflict with the law and the will of the Kenyan people.”

Motorists Association of Kenya Chairman Peter Murima said the lobby was “shocked and disappointed” at the move by the Transport ministry, accusing it of acting without adequate consultations.

Murima said the association only participated in one meeting, noting it appeared to have been a move to get some of the players in the transport industry to rubber-stamp the tolling policy.