Nairobi County Government is keen to introduce a raft of new taxes that will see private motorists, property owners and schools among the biggest winners.
The bill that was endorsed on Tuesday, will impose the highest fees on betting firms, taxi companies and corporates under the new taxes initiative. Taxi companies like Uber, Taxify, and Little Cab are set to now pay for operational licences.
However, betting firms, taxi companies, and corporates have been slapped with heavy fees in the finance bill that was approved by the Nairobi County Assembly.
The bill reduced parking fees from Kshs 300 to Kshs 200 while the fee for approval of building plans was set at 0.5 per cent of the construction cost which is a reduction of 2.5 per cent.
Schools will be spared from paying a monthly garbage collection fee of up to Kshs 65,000 while households will be relieved of Kshs 500.
Food handler’s certificate fee for hotel owners has been reduced from Kshs 7,000 to Kshs 1,000.
Taxi firms will now be required to pay a licence fee of Kshs 50,000 for firms with up to 50 cars, Kshs100,000 for those with 51 to 100 vehicles, and Kshs 300,000 for companies with over 100 vehicles.
The yellow fever vaccine, that is compulsory for people travelling outside the country, has been set at Kshs 2,000, up from Kshs 1,500.
Setting up a casino will now cost Kshs1 million and an annual license fee of Kshs 300,000 with a renewal fee of Kshs 10,000.
Politicians, preachers, and corporates will be affected as follows. Stationery trucks for roadshows will be charged Kshs 5,000 while mobile ones will cost them Kshs 20,000.
Budget and Appropriation Committee Chairman Robert Mbatia on Wednesday revealed that the application-based taxi companies at the moment do not pay for any operational licences.
“We will not charge the drivers but the company itself. For example, Uber has an office in Westlands, thus it will be required to pay the fee,” remarked Mbatia.
The app-based taxi companies, together with other large transport companies with over 100 vehicles, will be required to pay a fee of Sh300,000 a year.
Transport companies with vehicles ranging between 51 to 100, will pay a fee of Sh100,000 a year while those with less than 50 cars, are set to pay Sh50,000 a year.