Those calling for a cut in the Road Maintenance Levy to lower fuel prices are missing the point. The problem is not the levy itself, but the fact that almost 50% of it has already been securitized. Under Uhuru, the RML was KES 18 per litre, generating KES 86B annually to maintain 21,826 km of paved roads at about KES 3.9M per km.
This administration increased the levy to KES 25 per litre, pushing collections to KES 115B a year. But in February 2025, the government securitized KES 7 of that levy for the next 10 years. Then in November 2025, Cabinet approved securitizing an additional KES 5 without parliamentary approval, prompting MPs to call it a constitutional overreach.
That means out of the KES 115B collected for road maintenance every year, KES 47B now goes to servicing debt, leaving only KES 68B to maintain 25,412 km of paved roads. That translates to KES 2.7M per km today, down sharply from KES 3.9M per km under Uhuru.
Fellow Kenyans, the levy is unlikely to come down because it has already been pledged away for a decade. So as the potholes get bigger, you either work harder, or steal harder, and buy yourself a bigger car.
Nobody owes you anything. Put in sweat and build your castle. You are not entitled to anyone's fruits,they are theirs. Sow your seed s,nurture them to maturity and enjoy your fruits too