Sakaja’s finance statute targets Sh20b revenue

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja yesterday launched an ambitious plan that will see revenue reach Sh20 billion in the current financial year through the implementation of Nairobi City County Finance Bill, 2023.

The Bill, which will from today go through public participation, seeks to increase parking fees, licensing fees and rent among a raft of other charges and levies proposed by City Hall.

“Governor Sakaja campaigned on the model of restoring dignity in Nairobi. Part of the measures that will see dignity restored is delivering better services to city residents. These services will only come if we pay taxes,” said Chief Officer Revenue Administration Wilson Gakuya. “That is why we have embarked on a campaign through which we want to understand where to adjust.”

The Bill has proposed a review of the Nairobi City County Transport Act, 2020, increasing the amount of money that motorists pay to park their vehicles in Zone 1, including town and nearby areas such as Westlands, Eastleigh, Upper Hill, Industrial Area and Gigiri to Sh300 per day.

Vans and pickups will pay Sh500 per day from the current Sh200 while lorries of over five tonnes will pay Sh3,000 per day from the current Sh1,000. It however offers a slight reprieve for motorists parking in Zone II (commercial areas other than those included in Zone I) reducing the daily parking fee to Sh100 from the current Sh200 for saloon cars, Sh150 for vans and pickups from Sh200 and Sh500 for minibuses and non PSV buses from Sh1,000.

“As a county we have a plan to decongest the city. Hiking the fees is part of the measures,’ said Gakuya.
Nairobi residents residing in county owned houses are staring at rental increments of between Sh 2500 –Sh 7500.

Then there is a proposal of a 25 percent increment for estates including Ziwani, Ofafa Jericho, Lumumba, Jerusalem, Maringo, Mbotela, Ngong Road, Shauri Moyo, Gorofani, Bahati, New Pumwani, Landies Road, Outering Road, Uhuru and new Pumwani.

Residents in these estates pay rent of between Sh2,000 and Sh22,000.

The county has 17,000 houses in Maringo, Uhuru, Kaloleni, Jericho, Buruburu, Kariobangi South, Ziwani, and Jerusalem.

Private parking

In 2021, the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Service (NMS) revealed that the county is owed about Sh250 million by its tenants.

Entrepreneurs who deal with huge loads will also have to dig deeper in their pockets as the annual loading and off-loading zone fee has been increased from Sh 22000 to sh 250,000.

Private parking has also been increased from Sh 1000 to Sh 1500.
People in the food market will also have to add more money as to acquire a medical certificate one will now pay Sh 1500 up from Sh 1000.

Acquiring public health clearance for water bowsers one will pay Sh 10,000.
Transporting medical waste will be charged a new fee of Sh 5000 per truck while treatment of medical waste will be Sh 10,000 per incinerator.

Governor Sakaja is also going after daycares where small daycares will now be paying Sh 2000 which will cater to inspection. The fee will double for daycares with more than 20 kids.

County also seeks to introduce new charges for fumigation and disinfestation or fumigation of PSVs where they will pay Sh 5000 per vehicle.