Nairobi matatu operators wants Governor Mike Sonko to reverse his decision and increase parking fee for city motorists to properly decongest the CBD.
Led by Association of Matatu Operators (Nairobi CBD) chairman Jimal Ibrahim , the matatu operators said that private cars are responsible of causing traffic in the CBD.
“PSVs are responsible for ferrying people from on corner of the city to the other. Infact, we are the one helping to decongest the city unlike motorists who bring out their luxurious cars which cause traffic,” Jimal explained.
In the Nairobi City County Finance Bill 2018 which was passed in December by the city legislators, saw the reduction of only private cars parking fee from SH 300 to Sh 200. This move has led to an increase of 1000 vehicles in the CBD.
Speaking at six eighty hotel yesterday, matatu operators said that traffic in the city in brought by private vehicles and it could be seen when the matatu ban took effective in December last year.
Motorists at night ended up being stuck in traffic more than two hours despite having no presence PSVs in the CBD.
The matatu operators further said that they will return the finance bill to the Governor and urge him to consider increase parking fee for motorists.
In addition, the matatu operators asked Sonko to reduce their seasonal parking fee as he had promised in his manifesto.
“We have negotiated with Sonko on crisis matter affecting this industry more than five times, and he has heard us. It is only fair for him to hear us out again and reduce our seasonal parking fee ,” Jimal said .
The matatu operators had raised concern over the order they allegedly said to have received from City Hall notifying them of increase in their monthly seasonal parking fee.
He explained that last week they had been informed that seasonal parking fee had increased; 14 seater matatu had increased by sh 2000, 33 seater sh 3000 and 51 seater by Sh2500.
Normally the PSVs operators pay Sh 7,250 seasonal parking ticket for a 51-seater matatu, 33-seater Sh 5,250 while a 14-seater they part with Sh 3,200 every month to City hall.
“We were shocked on learning this new fees but luckily, our able Governor Mike Sonko has called all the way from London and has directed that no new fee should be paid,” Jimal said.
However, Director of Parking at City Hall Tom Tinega said that the seasonal parking fee had not been increased and the fees remain as they are.
“The matatu operators had asked for a discount but it was considered in the 2018 Finance Bill,” Tinega told the Star.
“For that kind of change, nothing can be ordered by word. Such are captured in the Finance Bill and for any reduction or increase, certain stages have to be passed,” he explained.