City Hall Denies Nairobi Parking Fees Will Jump 73% to Ksh 520

Nairobi motorists and business owners were sent into a panic this week after media reports suggested the County Assembly’s Annual Development Plan (ADP) for 2026/2027 proposed a massive 73% hike in parking fees—from the current Ksh 300 to an eye-watering Ksh 520. The rumored increase was reportedly intended to fund major urban improvements, including fixing Nairobi’s notorious traffic woes and overhauling public transport.

The public reaction was immediate and fierce. Social media exploded with accusations of corruption and extortion, fueled by years of public distrust over where county revenue actually goes. Calls mounted quickly for the proposed hike to be challenged in court, proving just how sensitive the issue of fees and levies is in the current tough economic climate.

City Hall, led by Governor Johnson Sakaja’s administration, was forced to issue a rapid and comprehensive denial. Nairobi County Receiver of Revenue, Tiras Njoroge, stepped forward to set the record straight, clarifying that the figure cited was dangerously misinterpreted.

Njoroge explained that the Ksh 520 figure was an internal estimate developed under the new Tariff and Pricing Policy (2025–2030). This policy, a strategic framework designed to guide how the county calculates and justifies service charges over the next five years, revealed that it currently costs the county approximately Ksh 520 to provide a single day of parking service.

“For any charge to be changed, it must go through the Finance Act-making process and reflect economic realities as well as public interest,” Njoroge stated, emphatically dismissing the rumor.

Motorists can now breathe a sigh of relief. Njoroge confirmed that the official daily parking fee in the CBD remains at Ksh 300 and that no immediate increase is planned. He stressed that the county is “sensitive to the prevailing economic conditions” and the financial pressures facing Nairobi residents.

While the confusion has been cleared up, the incident underscores the significant challenge facing City Hall: even when attempting to introduce transparent, cost-based systems for revenue generation—a first since devolution—the deep-seated lack of trust and history of arbitrary fee hikes means any suggestion of an increase is met with instant public revolt. The policy’s goal is to create a standardized, predictable, and accountable system, but the public clearly remains watchful.