Kidero now shuts all taxi ranks in the city centre
Nairobi county Governor Evans Kidero has cancelled all designated taxi ranks in the city centre in a fresh bid to decongest the city.
City Hall argues that the taxis have been causing congestion by occupying most of the parking spaces in the Central Business District. No parking space will henceforth be reserved for them.
The County Chief Administrator John Ntoiti said the taxis should not be parked in one spot but instead move around picking and dropping passengers.
CRACKDOWN
Mr Ntoiti on Thursday led a crackdown on taxis parked on Kimathi Street, Kenyatta Avenue, Moi Avenue, Koinange Street and Muindi Mbingu Street.
City askaris clamped dozens of taxis during the crackdown and towed them away for nonpayment of parking fees.
“Go to Mombasa and other major cities, taxis do not park a whole day in a designated area. They go round and we will not accept that in Nairobi,”said mR Ntoiti.
The over 4,000 taxis in Nairobi are required to pay a parking fee of either sh300 daily or sh6000 monthly.
NON-COMPLIANCE
Mr Ntoiti said most taxi operators have not paid parking fees since the beginning of the year.
“The taxis are regular customers and we allow them to pay seasonal parking fees. But they occupy spaces without paying a penny to the county, We are not here to offer free services, “said Mr Ntoiti.
“We cannot allow all our available spaces to be occupied by the taxis who don’t pay for them. We are going to continue this operation in the next one month,” said Mr Ntoiti.
NO RECEIPTS
A taxi operator who refused to be identified said they have been paying the parking attendants Sh100 per day.
“We pay them Sh100 every day but we are never given receipts,” said the operator.
Finance County Executive Gregory Mwakanongo said it is mandatory for all public service vehicles to pay parking fees monthly.
