Favourite excuse used to default parking fee in CBD (sadly it never works)
City motorists who are keen on defaulting parking fee have devised the perfect excuse. Sadly it never works.
The Nairobi county director of parking services Fredrick Ndunyu says city motorists often fake a breakdown in the electronic payment service, Jambopay, as a reason for not paying the Sh300 fee.
The motorists then hurriedly fiddle with their phones to pay the fee after being threatened with clamping.
The electronic system enables parking attendants to easily identify parking fee defaulters. Clamping and unclamping of vehicles must also be conducted through the system.
CRACKDOWN
The parking department on Wednesday conducted a crackdown on defaulters in the Central Business District and nabbed 200 vehicles.
Mr Ndunyu told Nairobi News that revenue from parking fees had dipped in the last few days.
Mr Ndunyu led the operation along Tom Mboya Street, Kirinyaga Road and the old Nation roundabout.
“Some of these areas are just notorious, they hardly pay a penny to the county government. They wait to see parking attendants before rushing to pay,e some motorists flee on seeing the clampdown team,”said Mr Ndunyu.
“ Just go into the system and pay. If you don’t, we shall issue you with a charge sheet which will require you to pay Sh2,300 instead of the normal 300.”
Mr John Mucheru, a taxi driver in the city centre, said most of his colleagues default paying parking fee because the Jambopay system has persistent delays.
‘NOT OUR MISTAKE’
“It is not our mistake not to pay on time. When you use wallet platform by Jambo pay, there is
a lot of delay, usually between 20 to 30 mins. I have been trying to send my money using this system
as you can see I have to pay twice. Its very slow,” he said.
“I am hesitant to pay for the seasonal ticket. What will happen if governor Mike Sonko slashes the rates? I will incur loses,”said Mr Mucheru.
Mr Ndunyu said the delays will be fixed since City Hall is keen on doubling revenue from parking.
However the CEO Jambopay Danson Muchemi dismissed the allegation that the system is slow.
“The system is used to clamp vehicles and also release them. How is it therefore that it can not process payments?” posed Mr Muchemi.