Nairobi County Impounds Over 500 Vehicles in Crackdown on Parking Fee Evasion
Njoroge said the enforcement drive is intended to seal loopholes that have undermined the county’s revenue collection syste
Nairobi City County Government officers impounding vehicles in the City centre. Photo/Courtesy
By Ruth Sang
The Nairobi City County Government has impounded more than 512 vehicles in a citywide crackdown targeting motorists accused of evading parking fees, exposing daily revenue leakages estimated at up to KSh300,000.
The enforcement operation, led by County Receiver of Revenue Tiras Njoroge, focused on drivers who bypass official payment systems in favour of informal parking attendants, commonly referred to as “parking boys.”
Vehicle owners whose cars were seized are now required to pay approximately KSh7,500 in penalties and release charges—significantly higher than the standard daily parking fee of KSh300.
Njoroge said the exercise is part of efforts to seal loopholes in the county’s revenue collection framework and enhance compliance.
“We have a very easy way of paying for our services. You don’t need to engage our officers or parking boys. Just dial *647# and pay Sh300, and no one will clamp your vehicle,” he said.
He warned that the widespread practice of tipping informal attendants instead of making official payments is unlawful and contributes to significant revenue losses.
“Some vehicle owners have resorted to engaging parking boys or even some of our officers. They refuse to pay officially, tip the boys, and have their vehicles ‘watched.’ This is not only illegal but has led to revenue leakage of close to KSh300,000 a day. We shall not allow this to continue,” Njoroge added.
The county has vowed to sustain the crackdown, cautioning motorists against attempting to evade payments.
“We will continue with the crackdown, and those whose cars are impounded will have to pay more—close to KSh7,500—just for avoiding the Sh300 fee,” he said.
Officials also pointed to recent reforms under Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, including the introduction of free weekend parking, as part of broader measures to improve compliance.
“Through the guidance of the Governor, we now have free parking on weekends. It is just five days that we require motorists to pay as required, so we urge all to comply rather than find themselves in trouble,” Njoroge noted.
The latest operation signals a tougher stance by City Hall as it seeks to strengthen own-source revenue collection and restore order in Nairobi’s parking system.
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