Kenyans who wish to build roadside stations will be required to pay Ksh 20,000 as application fee if the proposal by the Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) goes through.
KeNHA in consultation with the Ministry of Roads and Transport formulated the Kenya Roads (Roadside Stations) Regulations, 2023 draft to foster the effective management and usage of highways, especially for long-distance travellers.
The draft proposes an application fee of KSh 20,000 for anyone who wants to build a roadside station on national roads. There is also an annual license fee of Ksh 100,000 for operating the station in cities and municipalities. For stations on highways in other areas, the annual license fee is proposed to be KSh 50,000.
The proposed penalty for operating a roadside station without an annual license is set at Ksh 500,000 for stations in cities and municipalities and KSh 250,000 for other areas.
KeNHA has invited stakeholders and members of the public for a validation workshop to discuss the regulations in the draft. It will be held on February 23, 2024, at Barabara Plaza, Auditorium Hall at 10.00 am.
The draft has proposed regulations for other aspects besides roadside stations, including the construction of access roads or lanes to private premises and business establishments, excavation for pipes ducts, and cable crossings, and micro tunnelling for pipes, ducts, and cables.
What is the role of KeNHA?
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) is mandated to ensure the management, rehabilitation, and maintenance of all national truck roads of classes S, A, and B.
A Class S road is a highway that connects two or more cities and carries safely a large volume of traffic. A Class A road is a highway that connects international boundaries at identified immigration entry and exit points and international terminals such as international air and sea ports.
On the other hand, a Class B road is a highway that links national trading or economic hubs, county headquarters, and other nationally vital centres to each other and to the national capital or to Class A roads.
This comes when Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen earlier on proposed the introduction of tolling fees on major highways, a move many Kenyans and politicians faulted strongly.
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