Motorists can breathe a while longer after the High Court in Nairobi extended its orders blocking Nairobi County from hiking parking fees for private cars and Public Service Vehicles (PSVs).

Justice Anthony Mrima on Wednesday ruled to extend the suspension until May 3, when the court will issue directions on petitions filed by the Consumer Federation of Kenya (COFEK) and public transport bodies.

The court had suspended the decision by City Hall to double parking charges from Sh200 to Sh400 for private vehicles in an order dated December 30, 2019.

The court also suspended seasonal parking charges for 14-seater matatus which had been hiked to Sh5,000 from Sh3,650, 32-seater to Sh8,000 from Sh5,250, and 51-seater buses to Sh10,000 from 7,500.

Lawyer Henry Kurauka, representing the petitioners, said Justice Mrima had directed that the Nairobi Metropolitan Service (NMS) be enjoined in the matter as an interested party.

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This is after NMS headed by Major General Mohamed Badi took over 4 key functions from Nairobi County; health, transport and public works, planning and development services and utilities and ancillary services in February last year.

COFEK and transport associations rushed to court after City Hall under then Governor Mike Sonko issued a notice dated December 2, 2019 announcing the fees hike plan basing it on the Finance Act, 2019.

The lobby groups, in their petition, argue that hiking parking fees is unfair, exorbitant, unreasonable and there was no public participation as required by the Constitution.

They further argued that PSVs implementing the parking charges would violate the rights of consumers as it would result in increasing of commuter fares.