Editor's Review

City Hall has laid down plans to introduce hourly parking charges for motorists within the Central Business District.

Nairobi motorists are staring at a heavier financial burden after city hall plans to launch an hourly parking fees system within the Central Business District (CBD).

Nairobi's Finance and Economic Planning Chief Officer Halkano Waqo stated that the hourly charges would increase revenue collection.

He further added that the move would help manage the traffic crisis in the CBD.

File image of vehicles parked along Moi Avenue, Nairobi. |Photo| Courtesy|

The fees have, however, not been implemented as they have to be ratified by the County Assembly.

Currently, City Hall charges Ksh200 per motorist daily.

"As a growing city, we have to explore all the mechanisms to decongest the city as well as get revenue for the county," Waqo stated.

He argued that the fees would also discourage collusion between motorists and parking attendants.

"it will be easy paying Ksh50 for two hours and if like 300 motorists park for an hour or two and go then it means the spaces will be available for other motorists," he added.

The county says it's losing millions every month to perking fees lost in the collusion between parking attendants and motorists.

Whereas drivers in the city want cheap, for the whole day, parking lots, city hall is looking for means to decongest the CBD, as well as maximise on revenue collection.

This is along with an environmental obligation to curb air pollution.

For years City Hall has battled with congestion and revenue leaks perpetrated by cartels.