Public utilities such as hospitals, shopping malls and airports could soon be compelled to scrap parking fees should the government implement a motion proposed by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.
On Wednesday, October 26, the Senate passed the motion on a policy framework protecting motorists accessing hospitals, airports, and shopping malls from paying parking fees.
In his maiden motion, Sifuna argued that “many urban areas and towns in Kenya lack designated car parking areas as a result of the imbalance between parking supply and demand mainly due to ineffective land use planning and miscalculations of space requirements, thereby leading to exorbitant parking fees”.
Sifuna expressed concern that parking fees hinder Kenyans from accessing public amenities for fear of being levied such fees.
The Nairobi Senator added that charging entry fees amounts to double taxation as the motorists who would have paid the parking fees will still pay for the services they seek.
“Whether they are delivered by public or private providers, essential services such as health, banking, education, shopping and other utilities are considered to be public services because they are public goods that sustain the well-being of every citizen and help in the development of the society,” he said.
The motion wants the cabinet secretary in charge of Land, Housing and Physical Planning to come up with a policy framework to scrap or reduce parking fees.
Senator Sifuna proposed that the cabinet secretary should work with the council of governors to come up with the policy.
