Electric Vehicles (EV) will be eligible for discounts and incentives, when the government operationalizes the proposed National Tolling Policy currently under public participation.
Speaking in Kakamega during the public engagement on the policy, Engineer Billy Kimko from the Kenya Roads Board said electric vehicles will be given the discount on the basis of reduction of carbon emission.
Eng. Kimko said this will also benefit high-occupancy private vehicles as well as vehicles travelling short distances and passing a toll charging point to enable them to pay charges in proportion to how frequently they use the road.
Exempt from paying toll are military vehicles and equipment, police vehicles and equipment, ambulance and fire service vehicles.
Under the arrangement, the government is proposing to introduce a National Tolling Policy on major roads in the country as a way of raising extra revenue that will sustain road maintenance and rehabilitation.
The decision has also been informed by dwindling funding from international financial lenders as well as the introduction of e-mobility that is projected to cause decline in Roads Maintenance Fuel Levy (RMFL) collections.
Kimko said there is a significant gap in the 2024/2025 financial year budget for roads maintenance and rehabilitation, in the country.
He said the Roads Maintenance Fuel Levy (RMFL) released approximately Sh100 billion only against Sh253 billion needed to maintain the existing network.
“Kenya’s road network is 239,122 kms, with 164,966 being classified under National government, while 74,155 km are unclassified and under county government,” he added.
“It is against this background that the gap is sourcing for alternative ways of getting extra funds including entering into Public-Private Partnership (PPP) as the case with the Nairobi Express way in order to bridge funding gaps,” he added.
According to the policy, tolling will be introduced on four types of roads among them newly constructed roads, improved roads and those of a higher quality than un-tolled roads.
The government will develop a vehicle identification and registration system that will be linked to automatic number plate recognition.
“But before the tolling system is implemented, roads identified for tolling will be tolled by way of conventional Toll charging points and pre-paid payment system, “said Engineer Kimko.
On his part, Deputy Director and Technical Working Group Team Leader on National Tolling Policy Eng. Kennedy Nyabuto said the Policy is based on the National Funding Policy that seeks to seek more funds to maintain roads.
Speaking at the forum, participants faulted the government for focusing a lot on major roads at the expense of rural roads that are in deplorable condition.
“Many roads in Kakamega County remain in poor condition, we need to be told how the policy will address this like the Lurambi- Navakholo-Musikoma road that has never been rehabilitated despite being allocated funds,” said Wanyimbo Sangula.
The participants demanded that the government should come up with an equitable system of funds for road maintenance so that some areas are not neglected.
Simon Shiundu, a matatu operator, said this will be double taxation as Public Service Vehicles are already paying 3,500 shillings annually to the county to operate.
The Transport Cabinet Secretary and his National Treasury counterpart will determine initial charges which will then be updated quarterly to account for inflation, exchange rate, tax changes and economic growth among other factors.
However, road users who fail to pay a toll fee will face a Sh50,000 fine or six-month jail term or both.
The technical working group on the National Tolling Policy is set to meet the Parliamentary committee on roads and infrastructure on 31st March this year, before the document is subjected to validation and approval by Cabinet.
By George Kaiga and Lindsay Kisango
