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The cost of living in Nairobi will remain high though Governor Johnson Sakaja has shelved the 2024 Finance Bill.

Sakaja has maintained that the county government will continue relying on the 2023 Finance Act, which increased the cost of living by introducing several new levies last year.

Motorists, boda boda operators and nightclub owners are among those who will continue to pay high levies. But under the 2023 Finance Act, motorists will continue enjoying free parking for two hours between 12.30pm to 2.30pm on Fridays for areas around mosques in both Zone I and Zone II.

Motorists in those zones will pay Sh100 for the first hour of parking, while those who intend to stay longer will pay Sh50 for subsequent hours in Zone I and Sh100 for Zone II.

Zone I areas include Kijabe Street, Westlands, Upper Hill, Community, Ngara, Highridge, Industrial Area, Gigiri, Kilimani, Yaya Centre, Milimani, Hurligham, Lavington, Karen, Eastleigh, Gikomba and Muthaiga. Saloon cars will continue paying Sh300 daily for on-street parking in non-automated areas in Zone I.

Vans and pickups are charged Sh500 for parking; lorries weighing up to five tonnes and minibuses Sh1,000; and lorries above five tonnes Sh3,000. Non-PSV buses will pay Sh1,000 for on-street parking in non-automated areas in Zone I.

For Zone II, saloon car drivers will enjoy low parking fees of Sh100, while vans and pickups will pay Sh300. Lorries with loads of up to five tonnes will pay Sh500, while those with more than five tonnes will pay Sh2,000.

Boda boda registration

The 2023 Finance Act introduced new charges for registering boda bodas and taxis.

Taxi drivers will continue to pay Sh1,500 for annual registration, while boda boda operators will pay Sh1,000.

Advertisers will continue to pay more, as the Act increased application fees for outdoor advertisement and signage. The levies vary depending on the location of the advert, the period it runs, and the size.

Although the initial proposal sought a 25 percent rent increase, the rate was subsequently reduced to 10 percent following consultations with stakeholders.

Nairobi residents seeking to cremate their loved ones at the Lang’ata cemetery will continue to pay a Sh20,000 fee for adults, up from the previous Sh16,800. Cremating children will cost Sh16,000 and infants Sh14,000.

For a permanent grave at the cemetery, charges are Sh30,500 for adults, Sh15,500 for infants, and Sh22,500 for children aged between one and 15.

For non-citizens seeking permanent graves at the Lang’ata cemetery, families will be required to pay Sh50,000 for adults, Sh35,000 for children, and Sh27,500 for infants. Temporary graves will cost Sh7,000 for adults, Sh4,000 for children, and Sh2,000 for infants.

Those seeking to use Uhuru Park for a flagging-off ceremonies will pay Sh10,000 every two hours, while charitable organisations will pay Sh20,000 to use lawns in the park for events.

Leasing restaurants

Vendors intending to sell items in Uhuru Park will be charged Sh4,000 annually for a clearance certificate and Sh10,000 for a trading licence for the same period.

For those interested in leasing the restaurants in Uhuru Park for three years, City Hall will charge Sh10,000 for the containers, Sh30,000 for the station aeroplane, Sh10,000 for the bus, and Sh5,000 for the combis (a machine with more than two functions). The charges will be paid monthly.

The entertainment industry has also been targeted and artists will have to dig deeper into their pockets to use the parks.

Music concerts with live performances will be charged Sh100,000 per day to use Uhuru Park. City Hall used to charge Sh5,000. Concerts without live performances will be charged Sh50,000 daily while live performances for international acts will be charged Sh150,000 per day.