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Lobby group challenges new JKIA parking fees in court


The uproar over the newly imposed parking fees at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport has now spilled over to the corridors of justice.

This is after a suit was filed by the managing trustee of the Nairobi Foundation on Monday to protest against the increased rates that were introduced last week.

The suit is filed against the Kenya Airports Authority and its parking services limited, the Cabinet Secretaries for transport and finance as well as the Attorney General.

According to the foundation, the increment which took effect Sunday was imposed without public participation and arbitrarily.

‘COMPROMISED PASSENGERS’

“By increasing the parking fees at JKIA by exorbitant, prohibitive and exploitative proportions, KAA have compromised passengers as well as members of the public who use the facility, inconveniencing them greatly,” said lawyer Dennis Onyango.

He argued that the law provides for protection of human dignity, consumer rights and lawful as well as procedurally fair administrative action to Kenyans in general.

He has termed the new rates as irregular.

In the new imposed rates, motorists dropping off or picking passengers are now required to pay higher fees.

Any saloon car accessing the airport and parking for under 20 minutes are being charged Sh100.

DROP-OFF

Cars parked at the airport’s drop-off and pick-up zone for between 20 and 40 minutes will pay Sh250, while those parked for between 40 minutes and 1 hour will pay Sh350.

Those staying for up to two hours are to pay Sh500, up from Sh 200.

JKIA, the busiest and fastest growing logistical hub in eastern and central Africa, handles an average of 7.5 million passengers yearly.

The foundation therefore wants the court to temporarily suspend the implementation of the new rates as parking fees at JKIA.