Motorists in Nairobi will continue to pay the existing Ksh300 daily parking fee after City Hall moved to quash rumours of an imminent increase to Ksh520.
The confusion arose from the newly published Tariff and Pricing Policy 2025-2030, which includes an internal calculation showing that the county spends Ksh520 to provide each parking space. Social media posts and some media outlets interpreted the figure as a proposed new charge.
Tiras Njoroge, Nairobi’s county receiver of revenue, told journalists on Wednesday that the document was merely a planning framework and had no power to change fees. “Parking fees in Nairobi will remain unchanged,” he said. “Any revision would require approval through the Finance Act after public participation and consideration of economic conditions.”
He stressed that Governor Johnson Sakaja’s administration had no intention of raising parking charges at present, citing sensitivity to the tough economic climate facing residents.
The policy, launched quietly last week, aims to end years of complaints about arbitrary fee-setting by introducing a transparent, cost-based method for reviewing charges across all county services, from markets and bus parks to health facilities and business permits.
Njoroge described the Ksh520 figure as the estimated full cost of delivering one parking bay, including staff salaries, enforcement, signage, technology and maintenance. It is intended as a reference point for future discussions rather than an immediate tariff.
County officials hope the new framework will reduce revenue leakages, improve service quality and provide predictability for businesses and residents over the next five years.
The clarification has eased fears among drivers who had begun sharing screenshots of the policy document online, warning of a near-70 per cent fee hike from next year. For now, Nairobi’s on-street and off-street daily parking rate stays at Ksh300 in the central business district and Ksh200 in other zones.
