Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro in a Past function. Photo Courtesy Facebook. 
By Andrew Mbuva
Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro has urged the government to drop plans to introduce toll charges on the Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit Road, warning that the move would raise the cost of doing business and undermine Kenya’s competitiveness in the region.
While acknowledging the need to upgrade the 170-kilometre stretch, Nyoro argued that tolling would unfairly burden motorists who already pay fuel levies meant for road maintenance. He also criticised the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model being applied, describing it as misleading.
“This is not a private public partnership — it is a public public partnership because the main investor is NSSF, which is workers’ money. We cannot keep forcing NSSF to fund everything at the expense of workers’ welfare,” Nyoro said.
The legislator urged the government to seek creative funding solutions, including partial privatisation of state assets. He proposed selling 10 per cent of the government’s 35 per cent stake in Safaricom, which he said could raise over Sh100 billion — enough to expand the road without imposing toll fees.
Nyoro cautioned that toll charges would drive up transport costs for goods destined for Uganda and other regional markets, potentially diverting trade to rival ports such as Dar es Salaam.
“Let us build roads without breaking Kenyans’ backs. We have low-hanging fruits like privatisation that can fund infrastructure without overburdening citizens,” he added.
The Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit project is estimated to cost Sh175 billion, translating to about Sh1 billion per kilometre.
Nyoro warned against what he called “reckless experiments” in infrastructure financing, insisting on sustainable, locally funded solutions.
