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Parking fees: Court extends interim orders


Matatu Saccos in Nairobi will continue paying the current parking fees after the High Court extended interim orders it had issued halting the increment by the county government.

Mr Justice Isaac Lenaola extended the orders while directing the parties to file their submissions before the hearing of the case on Tuesday next week.

The County of Nairobi and the Nairobi City County Board had after the issuance of interim orders, moved to court seeking to have them (orders) set aside but did not succeed.

The court was of the view that should the petition by the PSV Sacco’s fail, then the county government and the board will have no reason to continue with their case.

The Saccos claim that the new parking fee charges, that were to be effected on November 1, were a violation of 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 and that PSV vehicles use the city daily as individual members and individual vehicles.

“This is not a demand made out of the blue, it is a requirement of the County Government Act and County Government of Nairobi should not be allowed to violate the law,” said Mr Kinyanjui who stressed that the orders sought apply to parking fees only.

The new law, which received approval with its publication in the County Gazette and the County Budget and Appropriation Committee, had proposed to raise fees for saloon cars parked in the CBD to Sh300 and Sh200 for those parked outside the CBD.

According to the County Finance Bill that authorizes a sharp increase in fees, taxes and service charge, parking in the Nairobi Central Business District is to increase to Sh300 from the current Sh140.

Parking in non-automated areas within the CBD is to go up by Sh200 Sh400 while automated parking will attract a charge of Sh50 per 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.