Treasury Advances Plan to Introduce Tolls on James Gichuru–Rironi Road

Motorists using the 25-kilometre James Gichuru–Rironi Road could face toll charges following the National Treasury’s approval of a project note for a proposed public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement.

Motorists travelling along the busy James Gichuru–Rironi corridor could eventually pay to use the road under a government plan to introduce tolling after rehabilitation and outstanding construction works are completed.

According to the National Treasury’s Quarterly PPP Status Update report, the government is pursuing a privately managed arrangement that would facilitate the completion of remaining civil works and provide for the road’s long-term operation and maintenance.

The Treasury approved the project note in September 2026, marking a step towards selecting a private partner to manage the project under the proposed tolling framework.

“The road is a brownfield project involving the rehabilitation and completion of outstanding civil works, together with the introduction of tolling under a Management Contract,” Treasury stated.

The report added that the project aims to establish a sustainable framework for operating and maintaining the corridor, which serves substantial commuter, passenger and freight traffic.

Motorists could face additional transport costs

If implemented, the proposed tolling arrangement would mean motorists paying to use a road that serves several residential areas west of Nairobi.

The 25-kilometre route runs from James Gichuru Junction near Westlands and ABC Place through Kangemi, Uthiru, Kinoo and Gitaru before reaching Rironi, where it connects to the Nairobi–Nakuru highway.

Residents who regularly use the corridor for commuting, alongside public service vehicle operators and freight transporters, could be affected by any toll charges introduced under the plan.

However, the Treasury report cited in the available material does not specify the proposed toll rates, the payment structure or when motorists might begin paying.

Why the James Gichuru–Rironi highway matters

The road forms part of the Northern Corridor, a major regional transport route connecting the Port of Mombasa through Nairobi to landlocked countries, including Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan, as well as the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The expansion project was designed to increase the road’s capacity by providing a three-lane main carriageway in each direction, alongside service roads and improved drainage.

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has indicated that the project aims to reduce travel time between James Gichuru Junction and Rironi from approximately one hour to 30 minutes.

The improved capacity is intended to ease congestion along a route used by Nairobi commuters and long-distance transport operators.

Construction delays prompted a search for alternative financing

Construction began in August 2017 but encountered delays linked to funding challenges. The government subsequently sought alternative financing after the World Bank withdrew its support for the project, according to the background reporting supplied.

The proposed PPP arrangement would provide a framework for completing outstanding works while placing the road’s operation and maintenance under private management.

Treasury’s approval of the project note represents a step in the process, but it does not, on its own, establish that a private partner has been selected or that toll collection has been authorised to begin.

The next stages of the process, including the selection of a private partner and the finalisation of the tolling arrangements, will be important in determining how the proposal affects motorists.

For now, the tolling plan remains a proposed development, with the applicable charges and implementation timeline yet to be established in the supplied information.

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