Storm brews over tolling of Sh200 billion Rironi-Mau Summit Highway

Hundreds of passengers and motorists stranded on the Nairobi - Nakuru Highway due to heavy traffic. [Antony Gitonga, Standard] The planned upgrade of the Rironi-Mau Summit Road has drawn sharp criticism from a cross-section of political leaders opposed to tolling the road after the Sh200 billion shilling dualling project. Kenyans travelling to the Western region may soon have little choice but to pay to use the new road, as the government has yet to announce toll-free alternatives for motorists who may wish to avoid paying. The government is currently negotiating with a consortium comprising the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and Kenya's National Social Security Fund (NSSF) on the implementation of the project. Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro has raised concerns over what he termed an excessive commercial approach to tolling, particularly regarding the Rironi-Mau Summit Highway. He said that while the road upgrade was urgent, Kenya must exercise caution in its execution, warning that the tolling model could raise the cost of doing business. "Kenyans in the western part of the country deserve this road to be dualled... but it will not serve our economy if it is packaged purely as a business model," said Nyoro. But Nakuru East MP David Gikaria has praised the project, saying it will open up Nakuru County to more economic opportunities. "We are happy that the President is committed to ensuring the Rironi-Mau Summit Highway expansion becomes a reality. The road will have six lanes as it cuts through Nakuru, ending the long traffic jams that have seen motorists spend nights on the highway. This will attract more businesses to Nakuru and boost our economy. People working in Nairobi will even be able to commute comfortably from Nakuru," he said. Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) Secretary for Economic Planning Peter Mbae accused the Ruto administration of cancelling a deal with a French contractor over tolling concerns, only to award a new contract to a Chinese firm at what he claimed was a significantly inflated cost. Mbae lamented that taxpayers would now shoulder an additional Sh7 billion to compensate the original contractor for breach of contract, even as the new deal increased the total project cost by Sh40 billion. "The original contract was worth Sh160 billion, but the new project will cost Sh200 billion. There is no value for money, and it is Kenyans who will bear the burden," said Mbae. He added that tolling should not be mandatory and that Kenyans who cannot afford to pay must be provided with an alternative route. "Tolling roads across the world is optional, with motorists given alternative routes. That's what happens on the Nairobi Expressway. Forcing Kenyans to pay to travel restricts their freedom of movement and is, therefore, illegal," he said. According to Mbae, tolling would amount to multiple taxation, as motorists are already paying ordinary taxes, fuel levies, and now toll fees. He nevertheless said that given the hardships facing Kenyans, the road should still be constructed, with contentious issues addressed later. "Due to the suffering and desperation of Kenyans, all they want now is a road that eases traffic. Let it be built, and we will sort out the issues later after Ruto exits power," he said. The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) said the final cost of the project is still under negotiation, though earlier projections placed it between Sh170 billion and Sh200 billion. The consortium will finance the project and recover its investment over a 30-year operations and maintenance period. Peter Murima, Chairman of the Motorists Association of Kenya, dismissed KeNHA's claims that non-tolled alternatives are being mapped out. "Don't buy into the lie. The Rironi-Mau Summit project has no real alternative," he said on social media platform X. In an interview with The Standard, Murima also questioned the decision to hand over control of a major public transport corridor to private entities. "Such a road should be built on new land, leaving the existing one free for public use. The project proponent should acquire land, compensate people, and build a completely new road," he said. He added: "Our issue with KeNHA is not that we oppose a PPP model, but that they want to implement a PPP on an existing public road. The Constitution is clear that public land cannot be privately controlled or owned, and that citizens' freedom of movement cannot be impeded. Making people pay to use a public road is unconstitutional." Nyoro warned that tolling would increase cost of doing business. "By introducing tolls on the Rironi-Mau Summit Road, we are increasing the cost of doing business. Motorists already pay for fuel, which includes the Road Maintenance Levy, and now they will have to pay extra to use the same road," he said. "If you increase transportation costs, you encourage our neighbours to look for alternative trade routes, which is bad for our economy." Nairobi-Nakuru highway at Rironi area. [File, Standard] Nyoro argued that while the government may have limited borrowing capacity, it could still fund such critical infrastructure internally, including through the privatisation of certain State corporations. "There are ways to finance this road using domestic resources, including privatisation, without incurring extra debt. When we use our own funds, the cost of doing business goes down. If you look at this project, the cost per kilometre will exceed Sh1 billion - most of it being financing costs rather than actual construction," he said. President William Ruto, speaking in Nakuru last month, announced that the project would likely commence before the end of the year, defending the inclusion of private sector players in infrastructure development. "Next month, we will start dualling the road from Nairobi to Nakuru and Mau Summit. We must bring in private investment if we are to build enough roads. If we rely solely on the budget, we cannot achieve this," said the President. "We must think outside the box - tap into private investment, raise resources from capital markets, and strengthen our budget so we can meet the infrastructure needs of our country." While initial designs envisaged a four-lane highway, President Ruto said the stretch between Naivasha and Nakuru will have six lanes to ease congestion, with future plans to extend the project to Malaba. "I do not want it to stop at Mau Summit but to proceed to Kericho, Kisumu, and Malaba," he said. However, tolling appears inevitable. David Ndii, the Chairperson of the President's Council of Economic Advisers, maintained that there is no alternative to Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in delivering major infrastructure. "We are looking at about 2,000 kilometres of highways that can be financed off-budget through PPPs and tolling," he said. "There will be complaints, but we will toll them. Otherwise, they will not be built. If we use all budget funds on highways that can pay for themselves, there will be nothing left for rural access roads - and that is the trade-off Kenyans must understand." "If you want rural roads in your village, then you must pay for the highways. If you do not want to pay for highways, then be prepared to go without rural roads," he added.

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