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Going getting tougher: How new taxes, levies by Sakaja will make your life difficult in Nairobi
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja speaking at Uhuru Park in Nairobi on September 11, 2023 during the County El Nino preparedness Management briefing.
Residents of Nairobi County will content new taxes and levies after Governor Johnson Sakaja signed the Finance Bill, 2023 into law.
The law gives the county administration the leeway to raise taxes to Sh19.99 billion in own source revenue in the current financial year.
This means that once the Act is printed and gazetted, saloon car owners in the Central Business District (CBD) will have to pay Sh300 parking fee, up from the initial Sh200.
Motorists parking vans or pick-ups in Zone I will have to pay a daily fee of Sh500 instead of the initial Sh200.
Parking a truck weighing more than five tonnes in Zone 1 will attract a fee of Sh3,000 per day, up from Sh1,000, while parking a trailer will cost Sh4,000, up from Sh3,000.
At the same time, the governor has introduced a monthly fee of Sh3,000 for non-digital taxis wishing to park in Zone I, ending their free parking.
Zone I areas include Kijabe Street, Westlands, Upperhill, Community, Ngara, Highridge, Industrial Area, Gigiri, Kilimani, Yaya Centre, Milimani, Hurligham, Lavington, Karen, Eastleigh, Muthaiga and Nairobi West.
Zone II is off-street parking at commercial centres and parking at the County Market, which is not automated.
However, parking in Zone II for saloon car drivers has been reduced from Sh200 to Sh100, a move that the county says will encourage motorists to avoid the CBD area as a way of decongesting the city.
However, motorists will continue to enjoy free parking on Sundays and public holidays.
On Fridays during Muslim prayers, parking around mosques in Zone I will be free, as will parking around churches on Saturdays.
The county has also introduced hourly parking in on-street car parks (automated areas) where saloon cars will be charged Sh100 for the first hour and Sh50 for every hour thereafter.
County markets
Hawkers who rely on the county markets for their daily livelihoods have also been affected as the county revises the monthly rent upwards and introduces fees in some of the markets that were previously free.
Renting a large stall in City Market will now cost Sh13,750, up from Sh12,500, while renting a shop in the same market has been increased from Sh30,000 to Sh33,000.
Stalls in the markets have also been revised upwards, as have market services.
Having a small (1-70kg) fish basket in the market will attract a fee of Sh200, up from Sh70, while a medium size will cost Sh300, up from Sh100.
Selling flowers in the market, which has always been free, will now attract a fee of Sh1,500 if it weighs more than a tonne and Sh750 if it weighs less than a tonne.
The county has also increased the daily market access fee for small traders from Sh20 to Sh50.
In a move seen as keeping the environment clean, the county has introduced Public Health Clearance fee of Sh10, 000 for water bowser truck which will be an annual fee and Sh10, 000 annual feel for Effluent Discharge Permit per outlet.
Health
Seeking family planning services at county government hospitals will no longer be free as the law introduces fees.
In future, implant insertion, implant removal, IUCD insertion and IUCD removal will each cost Sh300 per procedure, while the Depo-Provera procedure will cost Sh150, but contraceptive pills and cancer screening will be free.
In addition, male circumcision will now cost residents seeking the service at county hospitals Sh2,000 per procedure, instead of the previous free service.
