The fury unleashed on motorists by some rogue Nairobi City County askaris is enough to discourage one from driving in the central business district if not from owning a car altogether.
Some askaris have been filmed harassing motorists in broad daylight in the name of enforcing compliance. In some extreme, and quite unfortunate, cases, people’s vehicles have been wrecked.
The parking quagmire in Nairobi has for the longest time been a cash cow for rogue county askaris and owners of tow trucks. The tow trucks have been used to intimidate motorists. It has also not been easy telling genuine parking attendants from impostors.
While payment of parking fees is mandatory as a key revenue stream, it should be collected in a humane and decorous manner. Thankfully, some sort of order seems to have been restored since the KRA was appointed the principal revenue collector for the Nairobi City County government. The move seems to have tightened the noose around the neck of the cartels that have been terrorising motorists.
The recent step requiring parking attendants to photograph number plates of non-compliant motorists is laudable. It will go a long way in resolving disputes arising from the payment of parking fees.
In contemporary times where impersonation has become the order of the day, it is key for wananchi to use the various resources announced by KRA to authenticate those who claim to work for either KRA or the county. Perhaps the authorities should go a step further and ban use of privately owned tow trucks.
That way, there will be more accountability should one’s vehicle suffer any damage.
