Nairobi motorists in shock as Sh300 parking fee takes effect
A parking attendant issues a ticket to a motorist in Nairobi. Photo/FILE
What you need to know:
Motorists seeking monthly parking tickets will have to part with Sh5,000 up from Sh2,000.
Automated parking will attract a Sh50 per hour charge and the daily parking fees goes up from Sh140 to Sh300.
Those on quarterly tickets are to pay Sh12,000; an increase from Sh5,500 while loss of your parking ticket will attract a fine of Sh1,000.
Motorists in Nairobi got a rude shock on Wednesday after the decision to increase parking fees from Sh140 to Sh300 took effect.
The new law, which was published in the County Gazette, authorises a sharp increase in fees, taxes and service charge for city residents.
The county government appeared to cash in on an expiry of a 15 day injunction the court had issued against the increment as the matter is resolved in court.
Motorists seeking monthly parking tickets will have to part with Sh5,000 up from Sh2,000; however, those who paid the latter fee in February are exempted from the new charges until the end of the month. On Wednesday, some took to social media to express their frustration at the new charges.
The new law raises parking fees for cars outside the Central Business District to Sh200 while parking in non-automated areas within the City Centre will go up by Sh200 to Sh400.
Automated parking will attract a Sh50 per hour charge and the daily parking fees goes up from Sh140 to Sh300.
Those on quarterly tickets are to pay Sh12,000; an increase from Sh5,500 while loss of your parking ticket will attract a fine of Sh1,000.
The High Court had suspended the implementation following an appeal by 26 Matatu Saccos.
Lawyer Harrison Kinyanjui had argued the new Finance Bill would affect consumers and that the provisions of the Constitution do not allow the County Government to levy such an amount of money.
Matatu operators had sued the County of Nairobi, Nairobi City County Board and the Attorney General for seeking to effect the increase irregularly.
They argued that they have not been duly notified of the existence of the proposed increment and were not involved in determining an issue that directly affects them.
They wanted the public to be fully engaged in the decision making through a participatory approach. The legislation was to have come into effect following the approval of the County Finance Bill.
Saloon cars parked in emerging business centres like Westlands, Ngara, Highridge, Upper Hill, Community, Ngara, Industrial Area, Gigiri, Lavington and Karen are to draw the same fee as those in the CBD.
Areas classified as being outside CBD include Buru Buru Shopping Centre, Pangani, Muthaiga, Eastleigh, Ngong Road, Kombo Munyiri, New Pumwani Road, Langata Road, Kariokor and Ziwani Shopping Centre.
The County Government proposed to introduce half year and full year season ticket which will retail at Sh34,000 and Sh58,000 respectively.
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