Nairobi — The Motorist Association of Kenya (MAK) is demanding the suspension of the Rironi - Nakuru-Mau Summit Highway Public-Private Partnership (PPP), accusing the government of secretly privatizing a taxpayer-funded road.
MAK Chairman Peter Murima dismissed remarks by PPP Director-General Kefa Seda defending the project, calling it "a betrayal of public trust" and "economic colonization disguised as development."
"We reject the privatization of our highways through covert PPP deals. Kenya's roads were built by Kenyans, funded by Kenyans, and belong to Kenyans," Murima explained in a statement.
He said the deal with China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) risks placing a key transport corridor under foreign control through hidden concession clauses.
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"Kenya is being lured into a web of debt-free dependency -- where instead of direct borrowing, foreign entities capture long-term revenue streams through tolling rights. The same script was applied in Sri Lanka's Hambantota Port, Zambia's power utilities, and Uganda's Entebbe Airport negotiations," the MAK Chairnan added. "What we are witnessing is not fiscal prudence but the outsourcing of sovereignty."
Murima argued that the highway was already built using public funds and that tolling it amounts to double taxation.
They argue that the A8 highway corridor (Rironi-Nakuru-Mau Summit) was built and upgraded using public funds collected through the Road Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF) and fuel taxes.
"These taxes were recently raised unlawfully from KSh 18 to KSh 25 per litre by EPRA, despite public opposition," he stated.
The Association is demanding the publication of all PPP agreements, an audit of the Road Maintenance Levy Fund, and a national dialogue on tolling policy.
'In reality, the "Build-Operate-Transfer" (BOT) concession locks the Government into indirect liabilities, denominated in foreign currency, through guaranteed minimum traffic volumes, step-in rights, and revenue assurances hidden in side agreements. When the investor underperforms, the burden inevitably reverts to the taxpayer, just as seen in SGR's shadow financing and power purchase agreements," he stated.
MAK's statement comes days after the government assured Kenyans that the Rironi-Nakuru-Mau Summit Highway will remain under full state ownership, even as it is developed through a Public Private Partnership (PPP), emphasizing that tolling will be tightly regulated to safeguard public interest, maintain quality standards, and ensure long-term infrastructure sustainability.
In a statement released on October 27, 2025, the Directorate of Public Private Partnerships (PPP) sought to clarify growing public concern over the involvement of the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), insisting the partnership is purely a financing mechanism, not a transfer of ownership.
PPP Director-General Eng. Kefa Seda said the project had been widely misunderstood and stressed that it does not amount to privatization of the crucial Northern Corridor route.
"This highway is a strategic national asset and remains under the full ownership and jurisdiction of the Government of Kenya," Seda stated. "What we are implementing is a globally recognized model where the private sector finances and maintains infrastructure for a defined period, but ultimate control, regulation, and policy direction remain firmly with the State."
Fiscal Considerations
The Directorate explained that Kenya's constrained fiscal environment has necessitated the adoption of PPPs to finance major infrastructure projects without overburdening taxpayers or expanding public debt.
Kenya's debt-to-GDP ratio, which peaked at 78 percent in recent years, now stands at about 64 percent following fiscal consolidation measures.
The National Treasury aims to further reduce it to 55 per cent by 2028, but limited fiscal space has restricted new borrowing for development.
"The road sector alone requires KSh4 trillion over the next decade -- KSh1 trillion for maintenance and KSh3 trillion for new development," Seda noted.
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"The choice is not between PPP and public ownership. The choice is between having a road now under a sustainable financing model or having no road at all due to fiscal constraints."
Under the adopted model, the private partner will design, build, finance, operate, and maintain the road for a 30-year concession period, recovering costs through state-approved tolls while bearing construction and operational risks.
Tolling policy and user protection
According to the draft National Tolling Policy 2025, toll fees collected from road users will be ring-fenced for the same corridor, ensuring revenues are reinvested in maintenance, safety patrols, lighting, and emergency response.
The framework also includes a revenue-sharing clause, requiring that any earnings above projected traffic levels revert to the government for reinvestment in other national road projects.
"Every shilling collected will go back into making the journey safer, faster, and more predictable. This is how modern economies sustain infrastructure without overburdening taxpayers," Seda explained.
