Editorials

EDITORIAL: Tame parking cartels

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Nairobi City Skyline. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Revelations that Nairobi lost more than Sh1.2 billion in street parking revenue in a year comes as no surprise.

The amount is nonetheless staggering, given that the county managed to raise slightly over Sh2 billion. As a county committee report shows, City Hall has potential to make a lot of revenue from parking alone. It is unfortunate that corruption, incompetence and vested interests among officials has ensured that this does not happen -- with revenues going to cartels running the show.

In many instances parking attendants collude with motorists to avoid paying the Sh300 daily fee in exchange for bribes.  Gangs on strategic locations often extort money from motorists, ostensibly to provide security for the parked vehicles -- which should be the work of the city government and security agencies.

Many a time, these groups are complicit in the theft of motor vehicle parts and accessories within the city. City Hall has in the meantime turned a blind eye to these vices, letting the rot to go on unhindered. It is because it benefits some of the officials that the authorities appear unwilling or unable to tackle the menace.

The county government must address the issues urgently. It needs all that money to meet its obligations to the residents -- to provide critical services and fix the badly worn out infrastructure. All parties that are helping to fleece the county of the much-needed revenue must not go unpunished.