Companies

Vehicle importers sue Mombasa County over relocation plan

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Mombasa port. Car importers have sued Mombasa County over plans to move them from CBD. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Importers of second hand motor vehicles have sued the county government of Mombasa over alleged threats to have them move their businesses out of the Central Business District.

Under the umbrella of Car Importers Association of Kenya (Ciak), the importers have argued that the county government has in many public declarations directed that it will relocate them from the city centre to Miritini.

Ciak wants a declaration that its members have a right to be informed of the decision leading to their relocation and that they have a right to be involved in the decision making process culminating to moving out of the CBD to Miritini.

The association is also seeking a declaration that the intended relocation, without giving them a chance to be heard in the manner in which the decision was arrived at, is in violation of the Constitution.

“The decision made by the respondent (county government) through public declarations will adversely affect the petitioner’s (importers) members as their businesses are reliant on large cash transactions,” argues Ciak.

According to the association, even though its members accessed the single business permits through online electronic licensing from January last year, the county government shut them out from access to arm-twist them to move to Miritini.

“The petitioner states that no reason has been given by the respondent for the denial of the licenses,” argues Ciak, adding that they have not been given an opportunity to respond to the issue.

The importers further argue that the county government has been harassing them by charging them with the offence of trading without a trade license yet the lack of the document is on account of the county’s own fault.

They are also seeking a permanent injunction restraining the county from interfering with their businesses until it (county) configures its electronic licensing system.