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Extortionist parking ‘stewards’ invade Nairobi’s CBD


Motorists in Nairobi are now forced to pay more in exchange for parking space thanks to the emergence of a cartel of youths know for demanding cash in broad daylight.

This past week, Nairobi News established that these youth have invaded and colonised several strategic locations within the CBD.

Most of them demand for between Sh20 and Sh100 to offer parking space and ‘protection’, services the motorists separately pay the county government for.

Motorists in the city have to part with between Sh200-300, payable to the Nairobi County government as parking fee on a daily basis.

Regardless, these self-appointed parking ‘stewards’ usually offer to assist motorists in either parking or reversing their cars out of parking spaces, but of course at the said fee.

CRACKDOWN

There have been cases of the youths turning rowdy and refusing to offer space if motorists are reluctant to pay up.

Security guards stationed at most business entities in the city have also joined the fray.

“We have no choice other than to pay because these boys are capable of doing anything, including destroying your vehicle or deflating the tyre. You would rather spend the extra Sh50 in a day than repair damages worth thousands of shillings,” one motorist explained.

Interestingly, some of the youth are said to be working in cahoots with the county government’s parking attendants.

The Nairobi county government, which recently led a crackdown to remove street families from the capital, has promised to issue a comprehensive statement on this matter soon.