Potential Charges as Dongo Kundu Bypass is Set to be Kenya's Second Toll Road

The Mombasa Southern Bypass, better known as the Dongo Kundu Bypass, is progressing toward becoming Kenya's second toll road, following a key approval from the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Directorate of the National Treasury. This decision, granted in September 2025, signals that the government is ready to move the plan forward to a formal feasibility study. The strategic goal of this move is to shift the road's operational funding burden away from the national budget and ensure its long-term financial health.

The total estimated construction cost for the bypass, which was completed in 2024, is approximately Sh32.12 billion (40.15 billion Japanese Yen). The financial plan dictates that revenue collected from the new tolls will be used to repay the substantial loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which funded 80 percent of the project. The government intends to procure a private toll operator to install the necessary infrastructure, manage operations, and maintain the road. This transition to a user-pay principle is designed to sustain the asset and free up public funds for other development priorities.

This highway is a crucial national asset, significantly improving the logistics chain. It connects the Mombasa Mainland to the South Coast, drastically reducing travel time (from over 2.5 hours to around 45 minutes) and offering an alternative to the often-congested Likoni Ferry. The road includes impressive structures like the 1.44 km Mteza Bridge, which is the longest bridge over water in the region. Furthermore, the bypass provides vital access to the Port of Mombasa and the adjacent Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone (SEZ), cementing its role as a regional trade corridor.

The Dongo Kundu project is part of a broader national strategy to introduce tolling on major infrastructure. Following the Nairobi Expressway, the government has earmarked several other highways for future tolling, including the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway, Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit Road, Thika Superhighway, Nairobi Southern Bypass, and Kenol-Sagana-Marua Road. This aggressive adoption of the PPP model is intended to help bridge the massive estimated Sh4 trillion funding deficit required for road development and maintenance over the next decade.

While the exact charges for the Dongo Kundu Bypass have not yet been determined, the final pricing structure will be established during the upcoming feasibility study and subsequent concession negotiations. With the entire route estimated to be around 17.5 kilometers, projections based on earlier government proposals for similar projects suggest that a small saloon car (Class 3) could potentially face a charge in the range of Ksh 20 to Ksh 30 per kilometer. This would translate to an estimated full-route fee of between Ksh 350 and Ksh 525.

The toll fee model is highly likely to mirror that of the Nairobi Expressway, using a distance-based formula that is also adjusted for vehicle class (light, heavy, and high-bonnet vehicles) and periodically reviewed against the prevailing USD exchange rate and Consumer Price Index (CPI). Given the road's strategic importance to Port logistics and access to the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone, authorities will have to balance the need to maximize revenue for the K$\text{Sh}32.12$ billion loan repayment with maintaining competitive transport costs for the coastal economy.