Anti-parking fee orders extended
Nairobi County government will have to wait longer before it can begin to levy increased parking fees.
Justice Isaac Lenaola extended orders prohibiting the county from effecting the fees as stipulated by the newly assented County Finance Act.
Matatu saccos had applied and received the orders last week, but Nairobi City County Board moved to court seeking to have them set aside.
In declining to grant the orders, the judge said the board would have no reason to continue with the case if the petition by the PSV sacco’s failed.
The saccos claim that the new fees violates the County Finance and Traffic Acts.
Through lawyer Harrison Kinyanjui they said that although the County Government had the power to impose parking fees, it cannot override the Traffic Act.
“This is not a demand made out of the blue. The County Government should not be allowed to violate the law,” said Mr Kinyanjui stressing that the orders sought applied to parking fees only.
The new law, which received approval of the County Budget and Appropriation Committee, proposed to raise fees for saloon cars parked in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) to Sh300 and Sh200 for those parked outside the CBD.
According to the law that authorises a sharp increase in fees, taxes and service charges, parking in the CBD is to increase to Sh300 from the current Sh140.
Parking in non-automated areas is to go up by Sh200 to Sh400 while automated parking will attract a charge of Sh50 an hour.
Motorists seeking monthly seasonal parking tickets will part with Sh5,000 from Sh2,000, while those on quarterly season tickets will pay Sh12, 000 from Sh5,500.
The case continues on Tuesday.