Court to rule on increased Nairobi parking charges

High Court stalls earlier decision until January

Nairobi motorists got a reprieve after the high court suspended implementation of the significant parking increases it had sanctioned on 18 December.

The surprise turn-around by the high court on 19 December came the day after it had ruled in favour of increasing parking fees in the Central Business District (CBD) from the current 140 shillings to 300 shillings per day.

Initially the court dismissed a petition by 26 owners of matatus to revoke a proposal by Nairobi's county finance committee to increase parking fees.

The result would have meant that motorists parking in the CBD would have paid more than double the previous daily rate while vehicles parked in urban districts outside the city centre would pay 200 shillings a day.

The case will now be heard by the Court of Appeal on 13 January.

Speaking after the court's initial ruling on 18 December, Nairobi governor Evans Kidero defended the move, claiming that added revenue was required to improve service delivery.