Motorists demand audit of road maintenance levy

The Motorist Association of Kenya (MAK) has demanded accountability for the Road Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF).

MAK formally requested detailed records from the government regarding road maintenance projects and their associated costs for the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 financial years.

According to MAK, RMLF was established under the Road Maintenance Levy Fund Act of 1993, which was implemented recently despite the withdrawal of the Finance Bill 2024.

The association requested for records showing all roads maintained plus the cost for 2023/2024 and the roads estimated to be maintained in the 2024/2025 financial years.

The Public transport sector players argued that the recent Sh7 increase in the levy is expected to boost the fund by an additional Sh32 billion, bringing the total to approximately Sh114 billion for the 2024/2025 financial year.

"The National Treasury recording shows that the fund was projected to raise Sh80.8 billion in 2023/2024 and Sh82.4 billion in 2024/2025, based on a levy of Sh18 per liter of fuel," the statement read.

In a statement on July 27, MAK Chairperson Peter Murima dismissed claims of meetings with the government with claims that they had called off the strike.

Addressing the media along Mfangano Street, Nairobi, associations of long-distance drivers, offline and digital taxi operators, and matatu operators termed the government's decision to increase the levy from Sh18 to Sh25 illegal and discriminatory.

"Starting tomorrow, we will officially begin our 21-day action plan, with every Friday designated as a go-slow day. After the 21 days of go-slow, we will officially strike nationwide," Murima said.

MAK Chairperson Murima said the hiked road maintenance levy would hurt motorists and demanded that the Exchequer shoulder the burden through the Consolidated Fund.

"When you multiply the Sh7 additional charge with the daily consumption of 20 million liters of diesel and petrol we consume, you find that every day we are paying an illegal levy of Sh140 million; and that is money that is being stolen from us," he said.

This increase followed the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority's review of fuel prices for the next month from July 15, 2024.

However, the Public transport sector players gave authorities a 14-day ultimatum to provide the requested information or face legal action.