This archive report was first published on 8 November 2019.
On November 8, 2019, the parliamentary Committee on Transport questioned the Transport ministry's decision to allow private firms to set their own airport parking fees, leading to huge variations among Kenya's three international airports.
According to Transport Secretary James Macharia, the private firms are allowed to set their preferred fees, which the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) approves. This has resulted in motorists paying Sh60 to park for up to an hour at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, compared to Sh80 at the Eldoret International Airport.
Motorists also pay different rates for parking at the two airports. A minibus pays Sh70 to park at the JKIA for up to one hour, while at Eldoret International Airport, the service attracts Sh200.
Details on parking fees at the Moi International Airport in Mombasa were not immediately available.
Transport Secretary James Macharia explained that the operator provides the Managing Director at KAA with a list of parking charges, including vehicle type and duration, and that the operator implements a parking policy that ensures parking services are offered to users at reasonable and competitive prices approved by the KAA.
However, MPs questioned the variance in parking charges at the JKIA and Eldoret International Airport, saying the charges should be uniform. Baringo Central MP Joshua Kandie said, 'The rates at Jomo Kenyatta are way less than what we pay at Eldoret, what is the rationale for this? We want to promote Eldoret as an international airport and we believe the rates should be the same for all three international airports.'
