The Kenyan government is taking a hard line against toll payment evaders, proposing strict new measures to ensure motorists pay their dues on the country’s expanding toll road network. These measures include denying essential services to defaulters and amending existing laws to mandate toll payment.
Under the proposed changes, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) will be empowered to deny services to vehicle owners with outstanding tolls and penalties. This could include:
* Driver’s license renewals
* Vehicle transfers
* Annual vehicle inspections
* Car insurance renewal
This effectively means that motorists who fail to pay their tolls could find themselves unable to legally operate their vehicles.
Furthermore, the government is proposing an amendment to the Insurance (Motor Vehicles Third Party Risks) Act. This amendment would require motorists to clear any outstanding tolls and penalties before they can obtain or renew their car insurance.
The Ministry of Transport argues that these stringent measures are necessary to enhance the efficient collection of tolls and prevent Kenya from following the path of other countries where widespread toll evasion has led to costly and ineffective enforcement systems.
Currently, the Public Roads Toll Act stipulates fines of up to Ksh. 50,000 or imprisonment for up to six months, or both, for toll evasion offenses. However, these penalties have not been sufficient to deter all motorists from evading tolls.
These proposed measures come as Kenya expands its toll road network. Several major highways are slated to introduce tolls, including the Nairobi Southern Bypass, Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit Highway, Thika Superhighway, and Kenol-Sagana-Marua Road, among others.
The draft policy acknowledges that until an effective electronic enforcement system is in place, Kenya will primarily rely on physical barriers at toll collection points. This underscores the need for strong measures to deter toll evasion and ensure the financial viability of the country’s toll road infrastructure.