The Kenya Transporters Association(KTA) has moved to court to sue the county government of Kilifi after what they termed as unlawful charges by the devolved unit on parking fees and road tolls. According to KTA, the county government of Kilifi has erected barriers on international and national roads within its boundaries and has continued to impose parking and market access fees. In a statement by the association chairperson, Newton Wang'oo, the barriers, which charge between Ksh300 and Ksh5,000, are located on major roads and highways.
This decision, they say, is likely to hurt trade and transport between Kenya and its neighbouring countries.
The association claims that barriers have been erected at several points, including Mtwapa on the Mombasa-Malindi highway, and on the Mombasa-Nairobi highway near the Mariakani weighbridge, before the junction leading to the Mariakani-Kaloleni-Mavueni highway.
Long-distance trucks along the Malaba-Bungoma Highway Photo ''Ksh500 per loaded truck, received as a "County Parking Charge" paid via Mpesa, even when trucks do not park or stop within the county and are just passing through the highway,'' the statement from KTA read in part revealing some of the charges they have been unlawfully subjected to. ''Ksh3,000 per truck offloading goods within Kilifi County, received as "Market Stall Fees and Stall Rent" and paid via Mpesa.
