Infrastructure projects in Kenya, such as the Nairobi Expressway, have overburdened taxpayers due to high project costs and tolling fees, according to Apopo Lentana, MCA for Kanyadoto Ward in Homa Bay County and an Infrastructure and Environmental Expert.
Apopo noted that although the Nairobi Expressway was a progressive idea that should have been implemented long ago, the project has become “segregative,” excluding some road users.
“This should concern our policymakers. It's the way it’s being done. This is the only Expressway in the world where you segregate road users that even people can't cross the road. Where there's an overpass, there's a fence,” Apopo told Radio Generation on Tuesday.
He further urged Kenyans to question the revenue-sharing arrangement between the State and the project’s contractor.
“So we should ask ourselves, what is the government getting from the Expressway? The owner of the project makes money for 30 years; actually 27 years, three years construction, 27 years concession,” he said.
Apopo also drew comparisons with similar infrastructure projects in South Africa, which he described as more sustainable.
He criticized what he termed as Kenya’s tendency toward deal-cutting between the State and contractors.
“So if you go to South Africa, they have toll roads. And if you look at the highways, the highways are 200,000 kilometers of proper roads. If you go to Germany, Germany is called the autobahn. The roads are so smooth,” he said
“In South Africa, there is a road that's 2000 kilometers, one road. 2000 kilometers in Kenya, you've gone from Turkana to Tanzania down to Lamu or to Mombasa, and have gone back to Nairobi, maybe to Busia. Why can't we do it? We have excess money to do it. But what do you want? You want to cut deals through infrastructure focus for deals,” he said.
Apopo also raised concerns over the high tolling fees and numerous taxes imposed on Kenyans, arguing that such levies make road usage unnecessarily costly.
“The cost is very high; the tolling. I'm paying taxes on my fuel per liter, okay? I'm paying certain shillings, I'm paying such duty. I'm paying Value Added Tax. I'm paying the Maintenance Levy. I'm paying the Petroleum Levy. I'm paying VAT. There are a lot of taxes,” he said.
“So we are paying so much in taxes on fuel? Why can’t these taxes do the roads?”
Apopo’s remarks come as the government clarified its plans to implement tolling on the proposed Rironi–Nakuru–Mau Summit Highway under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
In a statement issued on Sunday, October 26, 2025, the Directorate of Public Private Partnerships stated that the project will remain a public asset, even as a private company finances, builds, and operates the highway for thirty years before handing it back to the State.
The National Treasury explained that Kenya’s debt limits have made it difficult to fund major new road projects through borrowing. The PPP model now enables the government to leverage private investment for infrastructure development without increasing public debt.
According to the Treasury, the concessionaire will recover investment costs through toll collections while maintaining the road under strict performance standards. Tolling will be implemented in accordance with the National Tolling Policy 2025, which outlines how user fees are set and managed.
The Treasury emphasized that the project does not involve surrendering ownership of any national road or asset to a foreign company, affirming that every kilometer of the Rironi–Nakuru–Mau Summit Highway remains under the ownership of the Republic of Kenya.