The government has backtracked on the amount it will fine Kenyans for making mistakes on the just-completed Nairobi Expressway.
While addressing the press Monday, Transport and Housing Committee at the National Assembly David Pkosing said the media has been peddling lies on fines.
“There’s no fine yet, prescribed anywhere,” said Pkosing.
Reports have gone around in mainstream media that Kenyans making mistakes on the Ksh.65 billion highway will be surcharged after President Uhuru Kenyatta announced that the mega project will be partly opened to Kenyans for usage starting May 14, 2022.
For instance, Citizen TV reported that;
-Any damage to the cantilever variable information board, which provides information on the direction a vehicle is headed, will attract a fine of Ksh.8.8 million.
-Damaging the ticket issuing machine and the scanner recognising the vehicle type will attract a fine of Ksh1.9 million and Ksh.2.4 million respectively.
-Damages to a toll booth will cost one between Ksh.1.32 million and 1.8 million while destroying the camera installed in the toll collection plaza will cost a motorist over 600,000 shillings in fines.
-In case of an accident, damage to a streetlight will cost between Ksh.143,000 and 262,000, depending on the type of light.
Citizen also reported that drivers of Class 5 vehicles will have to incur a towing fee of between Ksh.10,500 and Ksh.23,000, and a hoisting fee of Ksh.50,000.
-Class 6 vehicles which comprise the heavy duty trucks attract towing fees of between Ksh.20,000 and Ksh.40,000, with the hoisting fee here pegged at between Ksh.70,000 and Ksh.140,000.
-that if a vehicle is involved in an accident and is parked in the designated parking area on the expressway, the motorist pays for the duration of the parking at a rate determined by the class of the vehicle.
-cars with graffiti and street art, either, as if caught using the highway would be fined Ksh.2,362.
-Concrete pavement at Ksh.6,592, alongside scratches on the pavement (Ksh.2,362), guardrails (Ksh.45,348) and the signboards (Ksh.34,547-81,120), among others.
Kposing said, “Kenyans don’t worry, don’t listen to lies, there’s no fine.”
Even though the MP has rubbished the claims, Citizen TV report cannot be ignored.
Metropol TV understands that the aforementioned fines will only come to pass if the Bill sponsored by Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuuda and currently in the National Assembly, becomes law.
The Bill seeks to amend section 2 of the Kenya Roads Act of 2007 to make it mandatory that all roads be designed to have lanes or tracks reserved for exclusive use by non-motorized transport.
The existing lanes reserved for use by the non-motorized transport, wants pedestrians and cyclists to seek alternative way away from the Highway.
“A person who unlawfully uses a lane or cycling track reserved for pedestrians, bicycles or other forms of non-motorized transport for any other purpose commits an offence and shall on conviction be liable to fine not exceeding Sh1 million or one-year imprisonment or both,” reads the Bill.
The enactment of the Bill seeks to ensure the safety of pedestrians who have had to endanger their lives to compete with vehicles for the available limited spaces on Kenya’s highways.
Kposing said the old Mombasa Road, currently being referred by Kenyans as Mwanachi Road, coming beneath expressway will be upgraded to a new standard in new financial year starting July 2022
