This archive report was first published on 5 July 2019.
Nairobi motorists are in for a shock as the county government plans to double parking fees to Sh. 400 within the city centre. This move, proposed by Governor Mike Sonko, aims to reverse the drop in Nairobi revenues and decongest the Central Business District (CBD).
According to reports, the increased charges will also see parking fees of Sh. 200 introduced in residential areas, while motorists will pay Sh. 300 at shopping and business hubs, including Upper Hill, Community, Westlands, Yaya Centre, Eastleigh, Industrial Area, Karen, Gigiri, Ngara, and Hurlingham.
The proposed rise in parking fees is aimed at addressing the estimated Sh. 37 billion in fuel and lost man hours caused by traffic jams in the city. City Hall has struggled to raise revenues needed to upgrade roads and clear garbage, with salaries gobbling up more than 60 percent of its total income.
It's worth noting that Nairobi was listed among the top 100 most expensive cities in the world, with parking fees being a significant source of revenue for City Hall. However, corruption and collusion between parking attendants and motorists have denied the city administration the much-needed millions of shillings it requires to fix many service lines.
Interestingly, the plans by the Mike Sonko-led administration to raise parking fees are not in tandem with his campaign promise of halving the charges to Sh. 150 from the then Sh. 300. The county collected an estimated Sh. 10 billion in internal revenue against a target of Sh. 15 billion, with the previous year's collection being Sh. 10.1 billion.
