•Kiriungi said the county askaris are quick to clamp and tow vehicles whose owners are willing to pay despite pleas
•Speaking to the Star on phone, Meru county revenue Board CEO John Ntoiti said that it is the work of the county revenue officers to clamp vehicles that have not paid immediately.
Meru motorists have protested the clamping of vehicles by county revenue officers, saying it was being conducted without a human face.
Mwenda Kiriungi complained that his vehicle was clamped while he was in the process of making the payment.
Kiriungi said the county askaris are quick to clamp and tow vehicles whose owners are willing to pay.
They are not given time to do the transaction, he said.
“We understand the county government wants to make money but they have to give customers a bit of time to pay as one may not have money to pay immediately on mobile money transfer.”
“On Tuesday, I did not have money in my phone but my vehicle was clamped seconds after I alighted and went to deposit money in an M-Pesa shop next to my car,” Kiriungi said.
The county changed the system from cash payment to M-Pesa transactions as part of limiting the handling of cash to curb the possible spread of coronavirus.
However, there have been numerous complaints as the system is sometimes slow.
“It was as if they were following me from behind and clamped the vehicle after I just got out yet I have been parking my car and paying for the service for the last three years.”
“When I saw the askari holding the clamp I ran and pleaded with him to stop because I was in the payment process but he went ahead and clamped it, its like they just want to penalise people,” Kiriungi said.
Speaking to the Star on phone, Meru county revenue board CEO John Ntoiti said it is the work of county revenue officers to clamp vehicles that have not paid immediately.
“If you are a motorist pay for your vehicle before you get to town if you do not have money in your M-Pesa call your friend and ask them to pay,” he said.
He said the revenue officers can clamp your vehicle immediately when you park in town regardless of whether you are in the vehicle and willing to pay or not.
Residents Kennedy Mutuma said some of the motorists are not familiar with the new mode of payment.
He said there is a bit of favouritism in the clamping of vehicles.
“I know vehicles that do not pay, there is a day I came to town and saw several vehicles that were not clamped yet my car was clamped,” Mutuma said.
He said Meru should consider scrapping or reducing fees for some of the saloon vehicles as Machakos county did due to the effects of Covid-19.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris