After hue and cry over the adjustment of toll charges for the Nairobi express way implemented by the government through the Ministry of Transport and infrastructure development the cabinet secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has come out to justify the government’s decision.
The Cs while responding to Samuel Atandi Member of Parliament for Alego Usonga broke down the changes in charges after the legislator accused him of increasing them by 50%.
“CS Kipchumba Murkomen, what is your justification for raising expressway rates by 50 per cent? I now believe this regime is satanic,” questioned Alego Usonga MP Sam Atandi.
In a Gazette Notice on Monday, the CS announced that the state revised the charges along the elevated highway from Ksh360 to Ksh500.
According to CS Murkomen the rates were last determined when the Shilling traded at Ksh113 against the Dollar as compared to the current Ksh157.44.
“Hallo Mhesh, first the increase is not 50%. If you take the maximum increase which is from 360 to 500 you will get a difference of 140 Shillings. if you divide Kshs 140 by Kshs 360 and multiply by 100 you will get 38.89%.” Stated the Cabinet Secretary.
“Now the last adjustment was done when one dollar was equal to Kshs 113.14. Now the dollar is Ksh 157 and using the same method I.e 157 minus 113 which is equal to 44. Divide 44 by 113 and multiply by 100 and you will get 38.9 %. So the increase is proportional.
“The adjustment was done based on the Project Agreement taking into account the depreciation of the Kenya Shilling to the United States dollar since the time of gazettement of the Toll Rates in April 2022.
Under the updated fee structure, drivers entering the Expressway at Mlolongo and exiting at the SGR station or the Eastern Bypass will now pay Ksh.250, a hike from the current Ksh.100.
Similarly, those leaving at the Southern Bypass exit will see an increase to Ksh.330 from Ksh.210.
For vehicles exiting at Capital Hill and Haile Selassie stations, the new fee will be Ksh.410, up from Ksh.210.
Meanwhile, exits at Museum Hill, The Mall, and Nairobi Westlands terminus will incur a fee of Ksh.500, up from the previous Ksh.310.
On the shorter routes, such as from Syokimau to the SGR station or from SGR and the JKIA stations to the Eastern Bypass, the updated cost is Ksh.170, an increase from the earlier Ksh.100. The same adjustments apply for the reverse routes.
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