The government has revealed how it plans to convince Kenyan motorists to pay toll charges to use the proposed Rironi-Mau Summit highway instead of opting for alternative roads where they can travel without paying.
With motorists naturally inclined to choose a free road over one that requires them to part with money, Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir says the government will use cost comparisons to demonstrate why paying to use a toll road could, in some circumstances, be cheaper than taking a non-tolled route.
Chirchir explained that motorists would be given the freedom to choose between the tolled highway and alternative non-tolled roads, but the government intends to educate them on the financial implications of each option.
According to the CS, the comparison will go beyond the actual toll charges to consider other expenses motorists incur when using congested roads, including fuel consumed while stuck in traffic and the additional time spent travelling.
He argued that motorists could spend several hours on a free road, with their vehicles continuing to consume fuel as they wait in traffic, potentially making the supposedly cheaper option more expensive.
“We really are going to give options and alternatives to road users. But obviously, we’ll appreciate the fact that with better education on using a good road, it will be cheaper because look at the speeds of the vehicle vis-a-vis when you’re in a gridlock,” Chirchir stated.
The CS added that the government would provide statistics comparing what motorists
Davis Chirchir hasalso outlined alternative routes that motorists will be able to use to avoid toll charges on the planned Rironi-Mau Summit Road.
Chirchir addressed concerns raised by Kenyans over the proposed toll stations, particularly whether motorists unwilling or unable to pay would have other routes to use.
Speaking during an interview with The Kenyan Historian on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, while inspecting ongoing construction works along the highway, the Cabinet Secretary said the government had already designed alternative routes to accommodate different categories of road users.
Responding to concerns over toll payments, Chirchir said motorists would have several alternative routes connecting different destinations.
“The alternative routes have been designed, but equally, we’ve very consciously defined how those road users who live in between certain sections will be able to use the road without a toll,” he stated.
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