City Hall on the spot over manual parking payments
Matatus along Accra Road in Nairobi CBD on May 27, 2018. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU
What you need to know:
- Nairobi County parking department ordered matatu saccos to stop paying seasonal parking fees through JamboPay.
- Budget and Appropriations Committee says parking director has no power to issue policy changes.
- MCAs say Tom Tinega did not seek the input of the Transport minister, his chief officer or that of the county secretary.
A Nairobi County parking officer has been put on the spot over decision to suspend the payment of seasonal parking through JamboPay while City Hall contract with the online payment firm has not yet expired.
Ward representatives raised concerns on the move by the county’s parking department to revert to manual payment system while JamboPay still has a valid contract.
The Nairobi County Assembly’s Budget and Appropriations Committee queried why the department instructed matatu saccos operating in the city centre to use direct banking services, a model prone to revenue loss, instead of the automated JamboPay system.
The committee alleged foul play, saying the officer only targeted the revenue stream which is the top earner for the county.
'MISCHIEF'
The move, they said, has led to the county government losing millions of shillings in seasonal parking fees revenue.
“We don’t understand why your department would choose to go the direct banking route whereas you know that we have an agreement with JamboPay and your actions could lead to a breach of contract,” said Mr Patrick Karani on Tuesday.
The committee, led by Kariobangi South MCA Robert Mbatia, said the director of parking services Tom Tinega directed in writing that all 397 matatu saccos in Nairobi to stop paying seasons parking tickets through JamboPay on December 24, 2018.
It was also revealed that the decision was not authorised by the Transport minister Mohammed Dagane, acting Nairobi County Secretary Pauline Kahiga or by the Transport and Infrastructure Chief Officer Fredrick Karanja — the three individuals mandated by law to make such policy changes.
'RECONCILE RECORDS'
Mr Tinega, in his defence, said he wanted to make it easier for the parking department to reconcile payment records and tame alleged fake payments made by the matatu saccos.
He claimed that revenue from the seasonal parking tickets had increased by Sh5 million for the first month and Sh17 million in second month following his directive.
“In the past, we have had people fake payment receipts only for us to later learn that the money does not reflect in our systems. There are numerous cases in court involving fake seasonal parking payments made to City Hall,” said Mr Tinega.
But when pressed by Mr Mbatia to explain why the department had only suspended the seasonal parking revenue stream, Mr Tinega could not offer any substantive explanation.
