Court Extends Orders Barring Increment of Parking Fees in Nairobi

The High Court has extended orders barring the doubling of parking fees for private and public service vehicles in Nairobi.

The restraining orders originally issued in December 2019 will remain in effect pending the hearing of a case challenging the move to hike parking fees in the city from Sh200 to Sh400 for private cars.

The new rates were announced after the Nairobi County Assembly passed the Finance Bill 2019, which proposed new tax measures aimed at increasing revenue.

The court issued orders blocking the implementation of the new rates following petitions filed by the Matatu Owners Association and the Consumer Federation of Kenya (COFEK), which termed the move by City Hall as unconstitutional.

Through lawyer Henry Kurauka, the petitioners argued that City Hall failed to involve the public before reaching the decision.

COFEK further noted that the notice for the new parking rates was “too short, unreasonable, punitive and discriminatory.”

The Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) has been enjoined as an interested party in the matter, which will be heard on May 3rd before High Court Judge Antony Mrima.

Under the new rates, private cars would pay Sh400 a day to park within the CBD, Sh7,000 for a one-month parking ticket, Sh18,000 for a three-month ticket, Sh32,000 for a six-month ticket while an annual ticket would cost Sh55,000.

Buses that are not public service vehicles were to be charged Sh1,000 per day to park in the city center.