High Court Suspends Mike Sonko’s Parking Fee Increment

The High Court has temporarily suspended the doubling of parking fees for Nairobi motorists following a case filed by the Consumer Federation of Kenya (COFEK) that is yet to be heard.

The County Government of Nairobi had recently come up with a new rule that would see city motorists dig deeper into their pockets to cover their parking fees in the city.

In response to the decision made by the County Government, the Consumer Federation of Kenya (COFEK) moved to court to sue the county administration for having doubled the parking fees to 400 shillings from the initial 200 shillings.

The parking fee rule was to be effected today, Wednesday 4^th December 2019, only a day after the announcement was made to the public.

COFEK accused the County Government administration led by Governor Mike Sonko of issuing a short notice and expecting it to be effected as ordered.

In the suit against Governor Sonko’s administration, COFEK termed the decision ‘unreasonable, punitive and discriminatory’.

The federation said that apart from issuing a short notice to members of the public, the County Government failed to conduct public participation and relied only on their own decision.

READ: Parking Fee In Nairobi’s CBD Doubled To 400 Shillings

In the parking fee notice issued by Director of Parking Services Tom Tinega, there was a one hundred percent increase in the amounts where small car owners would pay 400 shillings while bus drivers would part with 1,000 shillings per day if they parked within the CBD and Kijabe.

Other parking areas in Westlands, Upper hill, Community, Ngara, Highridge, Industrial Area, Gigiri, Kilimani, Yaya Centre, Allsops and other areas would cost 200 shillings for parking.

Private vehicles would part with 7,000 shillings for one-month parking, 18,000 shillings for three months, 32,000 shillings for six months and 55,000 shillings for 12 months.

Given that the suit against Nairobi County Government is pending hearing, motorists will continue paying the initial fee they used to pay before the increment order.

The case will be heard for the first time on January 20^th, 2020.