The highway operators announced that motorists using the soon-to-be-launched Nairobi Expressway will not be allowed to make payment via M-Pesa.
The refusal of M-pesa payment is to avoid traffic congestion at tolling points brought about by the authentication of mobile transactions. Thus, only card and electronic payments will be accepted.
“M-Pesa payment would result in traffic congestion at tolling points.” “It is still in consideration and will be there in the future.” said a spokesperson of Moja Expressway.
Moja Expressway, a subsidiary of China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) which designed, financed and constructed the 27-kilometre expressway will be in charge of operating it.
The road which stretches from Mlolongo through Uhuru Highway to the James Gichuru Road junction in Westlands is set for opening on Saturday, May 14, on a trial basis.
Moreover, Moja Expressway announced a discount system for motorists making card payments to act as an incentive for using the road.
Kenya National Highway Authority deputy director for corporate communication Samwel Kumba reported that motorists using Electronic Toll Cards on the road will get a five percent discount.
When a motorist loads their electronic toll card with Ksh.2,000 points, they will be rewarded with a 5 percent discount. Nonetheless manual toll card users will be also receive a two percent discount when they load points worth Ksh.2,000 on their cards.
“The discount on both electronic and manual toll cards applies for as long as you are using the road at least for now. However, you must load your card with a minimum of Sh2,000 points,” added Kumba.
Motorists will need their National ID cards, Ksh.300 service fee and atleast Ksh.1000 worth of points to register for a manual tolling card. Whereas, registration for an electronic tolling card, requires one to have an ID, the logbook of the vehicle being registered and Ksh.1,000 installation service fee. In addition, one must load at least Ksh2,000 onto the card.
Kumba mentioned that electronic card holders who load Ksh.5,000 worth of points will not pay any installation service fee. He further said road users will also be allowed to pay in cash depending on the size of the vehicle.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Transport lifted the Nairobi Expressway’s toll rates by 16 percent in April 2022. This lift was to reflect foreign exchange fees for the dollar-denominated charges following the weakening of the Kenyan Shilling.
As at now, the base toll charge for using the Expressway from Mlolongo to the James Gichuru exit in Westlands is set at Ksh.360 while that of using the Expressway between the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and Westlands is Ksh. 300.
Motorists will also be charged Ksh,300 for using the road from the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to the Museum Hill interchange.
Light vehicles with two axles are to pay similar rates as that of saloon cars (base toll rates). However, heavy vehicles with four or more axles will pay five times the base toll rates, meaning a heavy trailer will be paying Ksh.1,800 to move from Mlolongo to Westlands on the Expressway.
Tuk-Tuks and Bodabodas remain banned from using the Nairobi Expressway.
