Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway: Toll Charges Kenyans Will Pay & Commencement Date

Hello Moneymakers, Washington here. In today’s newsletter, we are covering the estimated toll charges of the Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway, the revised budget proposals, and Warren Buffett’s Ksh3.8 billion to Kenya.

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Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway Charges 

Motorists plying the proposed Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway will be charged between Ksh12 and Ksh13 per kilometre. 

The project, which will be constructed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework, is expected to cost Ksh464.9 billion. 

‍Why It Matters: The Nairobi-Mombasa Highway is among the most used highways in Kenya, given that the road is also crucial in the distribution of goods imported through the Port of Mombasa. Given that the project will be undertaken through PPP, Kenyan users will have to pay to use the highway.

Similar to the Expressway, Everstrong Capital, the firm implementing the project, will recoup the project money through the charging of toll fees.

As detailed by the Business Daily, the toll fees will be cheaper than the Nairobi Expressway, which charges users Ksh18 per kilometre.

"The toll charges will be in the neighbourhood of Ksh12 to Ksh13 a kilometre. As you know, right now, the current expressway is Ksh18; it started at Ksh13, now it's Ksh18. We're going to be below what the current expressway is charging," Everstrong Capital partner Kyle McCarter stated.

"We're optimising that toll rate to lower the charge as much as we can by lowering the cost of construction and lowering the cost of capital. The more we save, the lower the toll rate goes down."

Construction works are set to commence in 2026, with key processes such as the feasibility study already conducted.‍

The highway will have 7 toll stations with other amenities such as electric vehicle chargers installed at various points of the road.

“The road from Mombasa – the main port city on the East Coast of Africa – to Nairobi and further inland is the main road for trucks and passenger vehicles. Currently, this road is two lanes, winding, and very dangerous. 

“With the creation of the new modern dual carriage expressway, the current 10-hour journey between Nairobi and Mombasa will be shortened to approximately 4 and a half hours,” the company noted on its website.

Also Read: Construction of Ksh455 Billion Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway Nears Start After Finance Deal with Pension Funds

‍Treasury Cuts Down Ksh1.73 Recurrent Budget 

The National Treasury has revised the recurrent budget for the 2025/2026 financial year, reducing the Ksh1.73 recurrent budget by close to Ksh10 billion.

As reported by the Business Daily, the new Ksh1.73 trillion estimate was projected in line with the government's plans to take austerity measures.

The move also comes after the Cabinet approved reducing the Ksh4.3 trillion budget.

The revised budget estimates amount to a Ksh23 billion reduction of the previous estimates.

Key institutions that have faced budget cuts in the new proposals include the National Intelligence Service (Ksh55.65 billion to Ksh51.45 billion) and the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services (Ksh11.77 billion from Ksh13 billion).

Meanwhile, other institutions such as the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) are set to receive increased allocation. TSC’s allocation was increased from Ksh354.6 billion to 376.9 billion. 

‍Warren Buffett’s Ksh3,8 Billion Injection to Kenya

Warren Buffett, through the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, has granted Ksh3.8 billion to Kenya’s State Department for Medical Services, offering crucial relief amid major cuts in US foreign aid under President Donald Trump. This donation will cover 18.1% of the department's Ksh20.93 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year and marks the first direct funding from the Buffett Foundation to the Kenyan government.

The move helps plug funding gaps caused by the US aid freeze, which had threatened critical health services, including HIV drug supply and vaccine procurement, Business Daily reported.

‍Prices of Bread and Beer to Increase After NEMA Rules

Kenyans are set to pay more for bread and beer following the implementation of the Sustainable Waste Management (Extended Producer Responsibility or EPR) Regulations, 2024.

The regulations, which were gazetted in November 2024, will see manufacturers pay a Ksh150 fee for every package. Given that the cost of production will increase, manufacturers will be forced to pass down the costs to the consumers.

According to the Standard, the new rules also affected diapers and cosmetic products.

Also Read: Weekly Shopping Tracker: See the Latest Prices for Basic Goods in Nairobi

‍Kenya Power to Install EV Chargers in 7 Counties to Boost Uptake

Kenya Power announced plans to install 45 Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers in 7 counties, including Nairobi, to drive up the uptake of e-mobility in the country.

As reported by Citizen Digital, chargers will also be installed in Nyeri, Kisumu, Eldoret, Nakuru, Mombasa and Taita-Taveta.

In Nairobi, chargers will also be placed in strategic locations such as Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

“Currently, there are approximately 9,047 EVs registered in the country compared to 2.694 and 5.294 that were registered in 2023 and 2024, respectively. The growth of E-mobility has been spurred by various initiatives that have been undertaken to create an enabling environment, including the introduction of the E-mobility tariff in the current electricity tariff control period,” Kenya Power announced.