The expressway stretches 27 kilometers through the heart of Nairobi, connecting Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Nairobi’s Central Business District, the National Museum, and its environs.
Motorists planning to use the Expressway in Nairobi are required to register, by physically visiting Nairobi Expressway Plaza Service Center on Mombasa Road.
There are three modes of payment;
· Manual Toll Collection (MTC) card
· Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) service
· Cash
A manual Toll Collection (MTC) card acts as a payment card whereby motorists will swipe at the toll stations and the fee will be deducted based on the distance covered. However, in the case of an ETC, they use a points-based system where points will be deducted from the vehicle’s On-Board Unit (OBU) that was pre-installed.
The OBU will be fitted on the vehicle’s windscreen to allow infrared scanning when the vehicle passes through the toll station. Further, drivers will be required to pay a service charge of Ksh1,000 for the ETC.
In order to register Visit the service Center at Nairobi Expressway, Present required documents including copies of National ID/ passport and logbook. A service charge of Ksh 1,000 (inclusive of VAT) is required at this stage.
Once paid, the motorist’s vehicle will be fitted with an OBU device. Motorists can then purchase toll points and load them into the OBU device.
In the case of Manual Toll Collection Register Visit the service Center at Nairobi Expressway, Fill in the MTC Card Subscriber Registration form. Present the required documents ID/Passport and Logbook. Pay a service charge of KSh 300.
Purchase toll points and activate your MTC card which will act like an ATM card. Load toll points into your MTC card. The minimum purchase of Toll Points is KSh 1,000 with a validity of one year.
Things to note;
1. Distance is the main determinant of the number of points to be deducted, where each point is equivalent to KSh 1. For instance, from Westland to Haile Selassie road will be 100 points equal to KSh 100.
2. Motorists will only be allowed to use an MTC card, which works essentially like an ATM card; hence motorists cannot use plastic money like a credit card or ATM card.
3. The purchased points are only valid for one year and are not transferable from one vehicle to another. It is because different vehicles are registered under other accounts.
4. If a motorist has more than one vehicle, they can create one account that covers more than one vehicle. Each vehicle will have an OBU but under the same account. The points will be shared among the vehicles.
5. Taxi drivers who don’t own the car will need to provide a copy of the logbook, a copy of the agreement between the driver and owner, and copies of the national ID of the two parties involved. It is for proof basis hence why the documentation is needed.
Samwel Kumba, Deputy Director of Corporate Communications at the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), has detailed some preventive measures that will be adopted including enforcing the speed limits. This was after several speed-related accidents were witnessed.
According to a Gazette notice dated December 2020, tuk-tuks, wheelbarrows, handcarts, scooters, and bicycles, are not allowed on the expressway. Pedestrians and skaters are also barred from using the road.
