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Public service vehicles (PSVs) operating in Nairobi will pay between Sh1,630 and Sh5,000 more for seasonal parking from Saturday, following the relaxation of Covid-19 protocols to allow them to carry passengers at full capacity.
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has ended the discounted seasonal parking fees it had been charging PSVs due to the effects of the pandemic.
Matatus in the city has been paying discounted rates after they ordered their carrying capacity cut in half as part of health measures to contain the spread of the virus.
For the ticket, 14-seat PSVs have been paying Sh2,000, Sh3,650 for 42-seat minibuses and Sh5,000 for 62-seat buses.
“All Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) are hereby notified that after the resumption of full load capacity on August 16, 2021, seasonal parking charges will be adjusted to full load capacity for all the PSV as of September 25, 2021 “. KRA said in a statement Wednesday.
In the revised rates, 14-seater matatus will pay a seasonal parking fee of Sh5,000 between the 6th and 24th of each month. But, if you pay between the 25th and the 5th, the rate will be Sh 3,650.
This means that matatu operators will pay between Sh1,650 and Sh3,000 more, depending on when they make the payment.
PSVs with up to 42 seats will pay Sh5,280 per month between the 25th and the 5th, and Sh8,000 when paid between the 6th and 24th. The increase is Sh1,630 and Sh4,350, respectively.
Buses with up to 62 seats will pay 7,200 shillings between the 25th and 5th of each month, and 10,000 when paid between the 6th and 24th. The increase for bus operators is Sh2,200 and Sh5,000, respectively.
According to City Hall revenue data, the county collects at least Sh100.6 million each month from seasonal parking fees with 1,024 spaces available to PSVs.
The Nairobi City County Government appointed KRA as the lead agent for general revenue collection on March 6, 2020.
Reacting to the reinstatement of seasonal parking fees before the pandemic, Matatu Homeowners Association President Simon Kimutai said it was a major blow to motorists who now also have to deal with paying more for fuel.
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) last week raised the price of a liter of gasoline in Nairobi to Sh134.72, an all-time high, while diesel rose to Sh115.6, the highest since September 2018 when It was sold for Sh115. .73.
“For a long time, I have advocated for counties to exclude PSVs from paying parking fees because we provide so many businesses to them. If you are going to charge us more for fuel and parking, the cost will ultimately be passed on to travelers, ”Kimutai said.
“But if travelers find it expensive to travel, will they travel to the city as often as they would otherwise? In any case, [matatu] saccos should be paying for the actual space occupied and not for the load capacity because the vehicles are always in motion and not parked idly in one place ”, he added.