KENYAN HIGHWAY TAXES PROPOSAL BY KENHA

August 19, 2024 24

Kenyans may soon have to pay toll fees on several major highways, including the Thika Superhighway, Nairobi Southern Bypass, Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit Highway, and others, as part of a new proposal by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA). This policy aims to fund the maintenance and rehabilitation of these roads, potentially freeing up the Road Maintenance Levy (RML) for other new infrastructure projects.

Aerial view of the Nairobi- Thika Highway

However, this proposal has been met with widespread criticism and resistance from the public. Many Kenyans feel that implementing toll fees on roads already built with taxpayer money would be an unfair form of double taxation. They argue that they are already burdened by existing taxes, such as fuel levies, which are supposed to cover road maintenance. The proposal has sparked debates on social media, with some Kenyans threatening protests and calling for more transparency and fairness in how infrastructure projects are funded.

Public figures like Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna have also voiced their opposition, questioning why the government would charge tolls on existing roads instead of applying them only to new projects. The sentiment among many Kenyans is that toll fees should only be imposed on privately funded roads, not on those built using public funds.

COMPILED BY:

ELIZABETH MAINA

@elizabethmainaofficial.com

+254758257074