NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 26 – Motorists in Nairobi will start paying more for parking starting next Monday after the City Council of Nairobi increased the fees by over 100 percent.
A statement from the council said that charges for on-street parking for saloon cars will be Sh300 up from Sh140.
Lorries weighing three to seven tonnes will now be required to remit Sh1, 000 up from Sh800 while the fees for motor bikes remained at Sh50 within the Central Business District (CBD).
Off- street parking within the CBD that is non-automated will rise to Sh400 per day from Sh200 while in automated parking, Sh50 will be paid for entry plus an additional Sh15 for every 30 minutes.
“The City Council of Nairobi has increased its fees and charges to meet the rising expectations of the city residents’ vide special gazette notice No. 12582, dated 15 October 2010 by the Deputy Prime Minister and, Minister for Local Government,” the statement from Chief Public Relations Officer Wilfred Marube stated.
He said the council wanted to raise a municipal bond ofSh100 billion to re-develop the infrastructure in Nairobi and the increase in fees had been factored in the council’s budget which stood at Sh9 billion in 2009/2010 but increased to Sh12 billion in the current financial year.
“This means that the increase in fees will net the council an extra Sh3 billion in this financial year,” the statement said.
Seasonal parking for private cars will now be Sh3,000 up from Sh2,000 per month while 43-seater busses will have to part with Sh8,000 up from Sh4,000 monthly.
Taxis which were previously paying Sh2,000 will now remit Sh3,500. Charges for motorbikes and tuktuks will remain with the same at Sh1,000 and Sh2,000 respectively per month.
“The new rates are expected to cushion the council’s new monthly wage bill of Sh530 million, following the implementation of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The employees will start getting their new salaries at the end of this month,” it said.
Outside the CBD, Saloon cars will pay Sh200 from 140 while motorbikes, lorries and trailers are not affected.
The areas that are classified being outside the CBD are Buru Buru shopping centre, Highridge area, Upper Hill, Yaya Centre, Milimani, Kilimani, Hurlingham, Pangani, Muthaiga, Eastleigh, Community, Ngong road, Kombo Munyiri road.
Others are New Pumwani road, Langata road, Lavington shopping centre, Karen shopping centre, Kariokor and Ziwani shopping centre.
“It is important to note that the cost of construction materials has gone up by 30 percent in the last one year, making it more expensive for the council to put up roads and other physical infrastructure. Therefore, the hiking of the fees is a response to the economic factors in play globally and locally. Similarly, the increase is in tandem with the inflation rate of 3.9 percent.”
The council has also increased rent in areas where it owns houses.
A one-bedroomed house in Buru Buru will now go for Sh4,000 up from Sh3,500. In Old Ngara it will cost Sh7,000 from Sh5,000, New Ngara Sh6,000 from Sh5,000 and in Joseph Kangethe tenants will pay Sh8,500 from Sh7,500.
For shops and stalls they have increased the rates by between Sh500 and Sh3,000.
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