Why Boda Bodas are Banned from the Nairobi Expressway

Moja Expressway, the operator of Kenya's flagship toll road, recently detailed the rationale behind prohibiting motorcycles, commonly known as boda bodas, from the Nairobi Expressway. The 27-kilometer stretch, linking Mlolongo in Machakos County to James Gichuru Road in Nairobi's Westlands, opened to traffic in May 2022 after a four-year construction period. Built under a public-private partnership between the Kenyan government and China Road and Bridge Corporation, the project cost approximately KES 88 billion, funded through loans and equity.

The ban stems from a legal notice gazetted on December 31, 2020, which restricts access to motorized vehicles with at least four wheels. This excludes not only boda bodas but also bicycles, three-wheeled tuk-tuks, handcarts, roller skaters, and pedestrians. According to Moja Expressway, the highway's engineering focuses on facilitating smooth flow for cars, buses, and trucks, without provisions like dedicated shoulders or escape ramps that could accommodate slower or lighter vehicles safely.

High speeds on the expressway, where limits reach 80 kilometers per hour in sections, amplify dangers for two-wheelers. Motorcycles struggle with sudden stops or maneuvers amid faster traffic, increasing collision likelihood. The absence of breakdown lanes means any incident involving a boda boda could block lanes, causing chain reactions. This setup mirrors international norms for controlled-access highways, such as those in the United States or Europe, where similar restrictions protect vulnerable road users and maintain efficiency.

Kenya's road safety record underscores the caution. The National Transport and Safety Authority reported over 4,000 fatalities in 2025, with motorcycles involved in about 40 percent of urban accidents. While no specific incidents on the expressway were cited—likely due to the ban's enforcement—the potential for severe outcomes on an elevated structure with barriers and no easy exits justifies the policy. Elevated sections, spanning 11 kilometers, add height-related risks, where a fall could prove fatal.

Construction of the expressway incorporated dual carriageways with two to three lanes each way, interchanges at key points like JKIA, Mombasa Road, and Capital Centre, and electronic toll collection for seamless passage. The design prioritized durability, using precast concrete segments for the viaducts to withstand heavy loads and seismic activity. China Road and Bridge Corporation employed over 6,000 local workers during the build, transferring skills in advanced road engineering.

Operations fall to Moja Expressway Company Limited, a subsidiary of the China Communications Construction Company. They manage tolls via ETC tags or manual payments at stations, with fees ranging from KES 100 for light vehicles on short segments to KES 360 for the full route. Revenue supports maintenance and debt repayment over the 27-year concession. Since opening, the road has handled over 100,000 vehicles daily, slashing commute times from up to two hours in peak traffic to under 20 minutes.

Exceptions to the ban are rare. In October 2025, during the state funeral procession for former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, boda bodas were observed heading toward Jomo Kenyatta International Airport via the expressway. Authorities allowed this under special circumstances, but it sparked public debate on enforcement consistency. Social media users questioned the rules, with some arguing for designated motorcycle lanes, though experts counter that retrofitting would compromise the original design and cost billions more.

The expressway forms part of Kenya's broader push for modern transport infrastructure. Under Vision 2030, projects like this aim to decongest Nairobi, which hosts over 4 million residents and sees chronic gridlock. Complementary works include the ongoing expansion of Thika Road and upgrades to the Northern Bypass. In rural areas, similar restrictions apply on highways like the Nairobi-Nakuru route, where boda bodas must use service roads.

Critics of the ban point to boda bodas' role in Kenya's economy. The sector employs about 1.5 million riders, per a 2024 study by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, and serves as a vital last-mile connector in urban mobility. Riders often navigate alternative routes like the parallel Uhuru Highway, but these are prone to potholes and flooding. Advocacy groups have called for better integration, perhaps through parallel bike paths, but funding constraints limit such additions.

Moja Expressway emphasizes education on the rules. Signage at entry points warns against prohibited vehicles, and patrols by highway police enforce compliance with fines up to KES 20,000 or impoundment. Surveillance cameras, installed along the entire length, aid in monitoring. The company reports a low accident rate compared to ordinary roads, attributing it to the controlled environment.

Looking ahead, the expressway's success has inspired proposals for extensions, such as a spur to Rironi in Kiambu County, part of the Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit duplication project. That KES 160 billion venture, awarded in 2023, will incorporate similar safety features. Globally, cities like Lagos with its Lekki-Epe Expressway and Johannesburg's Gauteng freeways apply comparable bans, prioritizing flow over inclusivity.

In Kenya, balancing safety with accessibility remains key. The boda boda ban reflects a trade-off in urban planning, where high-capacity infrastructure demands strict user limits. As traffic volumes rise—projected to double by 2030 per transport ministry forecasts—such measures could become standard on new builds.