Kenyans shared mixed reactions after pictures of an overturned car on the Nairobi Expressway emerged Saturday morning.

President Kenyatta is expected to officially commission the Nairobi Expressway this month.

Infrastructure Principal Secretary Paul Maringa on Friday said the Sh88 billion dual carriageway is ready for use following the completion of its construction.

“The expressway will be launched this month depending on the President’s calendar,” Maringa said.

He made the revelation when he appeared before the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which sought to know the status of infrastructure projects currently being undertaken by President Kenyatta’s administration ahead of his exit from office this year.

Maringa also indicated that the Sh17 billion Nairobi Western Bypass, the Athi River-Mlolongo-Mombasa way, and the Sh6.5 billion Mombasa-Kwa-Jomvu Road will all be launched before Kenyatta leaves office.

“We are bringing the majority of the key projects to a close,” he said.

The Nairobi Expressway is the first major project in the country to be carried out through a Public-Private Partnership [PPP] model.

This road begins from Mlolongo through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and Nairobi’s CBD to Westlands area along Waiyaki Way.

The expressway is expected to reduce the time spent on Mombasa Road during rush hour from about two hours to between 10 and 15 minutes.

The Transport Ministry has set the base toll charge for using the expressway from Mlolongo to the James Gichuru exit in Westlands at Sh360 while the cost of using the road between JKIA and Westlands is Sh300.

Heavy vehicles with four or more axles will pay five times the base toll rates, meaning a trailer will be paying Sh1,800 to move from Mlolongo to Westlands on the expressway.

Bodabodas, carts, bicycles, and tuk-tuks are banned on the expressway.