Shock rise in Nairobi service fees

What you need to know:

  • Hawkers will, however, continue to pay the same fee to sell their wares but residents seeking treatment in hospitals managed by the county government will have to pay more.

Motorists will now pay Sh300 a day to park their cars in Nairobi, among other shock increases in service charges introduced by the county government.

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero assented to the law raising fees for essential services by as much as 200 per cent on Wednesday.

The sharp increase comes at a time Nairobians, and Kenyans in general, are grappling with a rise in the cost of basic commodities after the Value Added Tax law passed by Parliament in August started taking effect earlier this week.

Among services whose charges have risen are hospital and mortuary fees as well as the cost of operating a business. Parking fees have more than doubled from Sh140.

Hawkers will, however, continue to pay the same fee to sell their wares but residents seeking treatment in hospitals managed by the county government will have to pay more.

Also increased are charges for keeping bodies in mortuaries and burying loved ones.

Those who rent houses or premises owned by the county government will also pay more as will politicians who hire stadia and public parks for rallies.

Rentals for people living in Buruburu, Ngara, Pangani, Jamhuri, Kariobangi South, Bahati, Ziwani and Shauri Moyo have increased by between Sh1,000 and Sh2,000.
Business owners and industries too will pay more in rates, a cost which they are certain to pass on to the ordinary Nairobian.

The Sh300 parking fee will only apply to small vehicles with owners of lorries paying as much as Sh1,000, up from Sh500 if they park them in the CBD and commercial neighbourhoods of Westlands, Upper Hill, Community, Ngara, Karen, Industrial Area, Gigiri, Yaya Centre and Karen.

Matatu fares could also go up following an increase in licence fees for public service vehicles, with single operators paying an annual fee of Sh15,000, up from Sh10,000.
Large scale operators with over 50 vehicles will be required to pay Sh100,000, up from Sh80,000.

Hawkers outside the CBD will continue paying Sh30 for hawking space per day or Sh500 a month.

Patients seeking treatment at the Pumwani Maternity Hospital will also have to dig deeper into their pockets as bed charges have risen increased from Sh400 to Sh500 per day while delivery fees have gone up from Sh3,000 to Sh3,750. Women who need Caesarean operation will pay Sh7,500, up from Sh6,000.

Services like exhumation, embalming and coffin charges have also been increased, with a death certificate costing Sh300, up from Sh150 while burial fees at the Langata Cemetery have raised to Sh25,000 from Sh17,400 for adults and Sh15,000 from Sh10,000 for children.

Political parties will pay as much as Sh250,000 to hold their events, up from the previous Sh50,000. Also affected will be religious organisations which will pay Sh50,000 for crusades or prayer rallies at venues managed by the county government.

Additional reporting by DENNIS MASINDE [email protected]