NAIROBI, Kenya — The Ministry of Roads and Transport has unveiled plans to develop and regulate roadside facilities along major highways through the proposed Kenya Roads (Roadside Stations) Regulations, 2025.
In a gazette notice dated February 27, Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said the framework seeks to enhance road safety by ensuring motorists, especially long-distance drivers, have access to designated rest areas.
He added that the initiative will also promote socio-economic development and strengthen oversight of roadside developments.
“The main objective of the proposed Regulations is to support the effective management and usage of highways for road users, especially long-distance travellers and guide the development of Roadside Stations pursuant to section 46 (2) (b) of the Kenya Roads Act,” Chirchir said.
The draft regulations outline how roadside stations will be developed, operationalised, and managed along major highways.
They also set minimum requirements for services and amenities to be provided to motorists and other road users.
According to the CS, the facilities are expected to improve cargo safety in transit and enhance efficiency in logistics chains.
Chirchir said the framework will also strengthen control over unregulated roadside developments, which have proliferated along key transport corridors.
He noted that structured stations will improve revenue collection by formalising services currently operating informally.
The draft Regulatory Impact Statement and the proposed regulations are available for public review through official channels of the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA).
The CS has invited stakeholders and members of the public likely to be affected to submit their views within 14 days via KeNHA’s designated email address.
The proposal comes amid growing concern over road safety, particularly involving heavy commercial vehicles such as lorries and trailers.
Data from the National Transport and Safety Authority has consistently shown that fatigue, speeding, and mechanical failure remain leading contributors to highway crashes.
Last week, two people died along Nairobi’s Southern Bypass after a lorry collided head-on with a trailer near Lang’ata.
Reports indicated that two lorries were heading towards Kikuyu, while a third, travelling towards Lang’ata, rammed into the front of a trailer from the side after allegedly losing control and veering into the opposite lane.
The ministry has indicated that feedback received during the public participation phase will inform the final version of the regulations before implementation.
