Officials of the Technical Working Group (TWG) on the Draft Tolling Policy have allayed fears of Siaya Residents who view the proposed policy by the Ministry of Roads and Transport as a means to subject them to double taxation through concurrent payment of toll fees and other Government taxes.
Led by Eng. Kennedy Nyakuti, the officials clarified that whereas taxation was a compulsory requirement for all Kenyans, the payment of toll fees will only affect users of the tolled infrastructure.
“One of the principles driving the introduction of tolling is to improve equity so that only users of tolled roads and bridges pay the toll fees. What could be fairer than asking the user of a road to pay for its use so that its maintenance is guaranteed?”, quipped Eng. Nyakuti.
He said the Ministry was proposing road tolls as it was no longer feasible for the Government to meet its infrastructure needs through regular budget allocation due to – the shrinking Road Maintenance Levy Fund driven by emerging vehicle efficiencies, expanding road network and the projected growth in electric vehicles and declining motor vehicle registration, among other factors.
The Team explained that the criteria to be used in determining the roads to be tolled would be scientifically arrived at through studies such as traffic demand, willingness to pay surveys, the economic cost-benefit of tolling and whether the revenue to be generated from tolling outweighs the costs thereof.
On concerns that the toll funds collected would be pilfered through corruption, the TWG assured Siaya residents that the proposed toll operations would be automated to minimize human interaction at toll pay points.
Regarding the duration of subjecting selected infrastructure to the toll regime, the team informed the residents that toll operations will be guided by agreements between private investors and the government adding that typically, such agreements are prescribed to last between 10 to 30 years as per the PPP Act 2021.
The Team further clarified to participants concerned about lack of alternatives to some of the roads proposed for tolling saying that in the circumstances where alternative roads are limited or unavailable, the Policy provides for the introduction of discounts for frequent and local users of the tolled infrastructure.
The TWG comprised officers drawn from Kenya National Highways Authority , Kenya Rural Roads Authority , PPP Directorate of the National Treasury, KRB, KURA & NTSA.
The Western/Nyanza Region consultations which kicked off on 24th February 2025 and covers Kisii, Homabay, Migori, Siaya, Busia, Bungoma and Kakamega Counties. It is part of the wider national public consultations currently underway in various parts of the country. The consultations will end on 14th March 2025.
