Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti is facing criticism following accusations of unfairly taxing motorists using the defunct Finance Act of 2021.
The Kenya Transporters Association (KTA) condemned the Machakos County government in a notice dated Tuesday, November 26, 2024, for imposing double taxation on drivers.
The new regulations include a sh2,500 annual fee in addition to daily parking charges, sparking outrage among motorists.
The KTA argued that these fees are unjustified, particularly since vehicles may not operate within the county throughout the year.
The association also criticized the imposition of hefty fines and penalties for those who fail to comply, claiming that these measures have led to extortion by corrupt county officials.
“There is no justification for charging an annual county commercial vehicle registration fee when there’s no service being provided, especially for vehicles that may not operate within the county year-round,” the association lamented.
KTA further raised concerns that the regulations violate Article 209 of the Constitution, which limits county taxation to services rendered.
“Any law that is not aligned with the Constitution of Kenya 2010 is illegal,” the association stated, also accusing the county government of encroaching on the national government’s role in vehicle registration, which is the responsibility of the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA).
In light of these grievances, KTA called on NTSA and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi to intervene and ensure smooth operations for motorists in Machakos.
They warned that if the national government fails to address the issue, all motorists operating in Machakos would boycott paying taxes to the county and cease operations within the county altogether.
“If all 47 counties imposed similar fees, the cost of transport would increase significantly, negatively impacting the national economy,” the motorists argued.
This latest controversy follows a wave of protests by Public Service Vehicle (PSV) operators in Machakos over alleged mismanagement of the transport sector.
On November 20, PSV operators staged demonstrations, accusing the County Head of Transport of ignoring their concerns.
The protests, which paralyzed transport along the Nairobi-Machakos Highway, forced passengers to cancel trips and seek alternative means of transport.
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