Sakaja increases parking fees despite protests from motorists

Nairobi motorists are expected to dig deeper into their pockets to settle parking fees after Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja gazetted the new date for their implementation.
In a Gazette Notice dated Friday, 8 September, all motorists have a period of fourteen days to align themselves with the new charges. The levy will begin on Friday, 22 September, 2022.
According to the notice, individuals with saloon cars will pay KSh300 at on-street parking zones across the city, an increase from KSh200.
Vans and pick-ups, on the other hand, will part with KSh500 for a day’s parking, an increase from KSh200 while lorries and minibuses with over 5 tonnes will pay KSh1,000.
“This Act may be cited as the Nairobi City County Finance Act, 2023 and shall come into operation 14 days after publication in the Kenya Gazette,” read the notice in part.
Lorries that weigh above 5 tonnes will see their fees increased from KSh1,000 to KSh3,000 while non-digital taxis will be charged KSh5,000 to park every month.
Trailers, on the other hand, will have to part with KSh500 more from the KSh3,000 their operators parted with for a day’s parking.
All the charges will be applied to Zone I parking zones which include Nairobi CBD, Kijabe Street, Westlands, Upper Hill, Community, Ngara, Highridge, Industrial Area, Gigiri, Kilimani, Yaya Center, Milimani, Hurlingham, Lavington, Karen, Eastleigh, Muthaiga, Gikomba and Nairobi West.
The gazettement comes 2 months after motorists protested the increase in parking fee charges, arguing that the cost of living was still weighing many Kenyans down, some of who depended on their vehicles for livelihoods.
Kenya Motorists Association Chairman Peter Murima said in mid-July, that the increased parking fees were unwelcome since the national government had just introduced a new slate of taxes for employed Kenyans.
“We did not have any public participation before the charges were increased,” Mrima complained.
“They have even restricted us from accessing their offices. Our letters are just received and no action is taken.”
Reprieve
Kenyans will, however, enjoy temporary reprieve when parking around Mosques on Fridays between 12:00pm and 2:30pm as well as all days on Saturdays when parking around churches.
Parking on Sundays and public holidays will also be free. Initially, motorists paid KSh200 for Zone 1 and KSh100 for Zone 2.