The government has clarified how it will implement tolling on the planned Rironi-Nakuru-Mau Summit Highway under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
In a statement Sunday, October 26, 2025, the Directorate of Public Private Partnerships explained that the project will remain a public asset even as a private company finances, builds, and operates the road for thirty years before handing it back to the state.
The Treasury also noted that Kenya’s debt limits have made it difficult to fund new major road projects through borrowing. The PPP model now allows the government to leverage private investment for large highways without increasing public debt.
The concessionaire will recover investment costs through toll collections while maintaining the highway to strict performance standards. Tolling will be guided by the National Tolling Policy 2025, which defines how user fees are charged and managed.
The Treasury noted that tolling will apply primarily to new or significantly upgraded roads that experience heavy traffic, such as major passenger and freight corridors. Importantly, all collected toll revenue will remain within the same road corridor, funding essential services like maintenance, safety patrols, road lighting, and emergency response.
To ensure accountability and fairness, toll rates will be regulated and periodically reviewed to reflect economic changes. Certain vehicles such as ambulances, police, and military vehicles, as well as local residents who live along the highway will qualify for exemptions or discounted rates.
The policy also introduces a revenue-sharing clause, ensuring that if toll income surpasses projections, the excess revenue will revert to the government. This structure prevents excessive profits for the private operator and channels extra funds toward other road improvement projects across the country.
The Treasury said the new model will deliver several benefits. Road users will experience lower vehicle operating costs thanks to smoother, more durable pavements. The new road will also provide shorter and predictable travel times due to controlled access and improved traffic management.
The project will enhance safety through round-the-clock patrols, lighting, and paramedic services, all funded by toll proceeds. The private partner will be bound by measurable maintenance and performance standards, which the government will monitor throughout the concession period.
Officials cited the Gauteng–Maputo Development Corridor between South Africa and Mozambique as an example of a successful PPP toll road. Like that project, a private operator will finance and maintain the Rironi–Nakuru–Mau Summit Highway under government regulation.
Kenya’s PPP framework gives the state the right to step in if the investor fails to meet its obligations, ensuring continuity of service and protection of public interest.
The PPP Committee has not yet awarded the project but has allowed KeNHA to negotiate with the preferred bidder. Officials will make details of the final agreement public once talks are complete, in line with the PPP Act’s transparency requirements.
The Treasury emphasized that the project does not involve surrendering ownership of any national road or asset to a foreign company. Every kilometre of the Rironi-Nakuru-Mau Summit Highway will remain under the Republic of Kenya, the statement affirmed.
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