Kenya: City Hall Begins Tests for Mobile Parking Fees

The City Council of Nairobi yesterday rolled out a pilot project that will see motorists in the city pay for parking using their mobile phones.

The test run will be done by mobile service providers Airtel, Orange and Yu Mobile. Through this project, the hopes to improve on its revenue collection. Customers from other networks will use the semi-automated system by paying through a cash agent system. The car park attendant will pay on behalf of customers into the system.

The project will take place from today for the next three months on Koinange Street. Town Clerk Roba Duba said if the project takes off, it will be "a milestone in improvement of service delivery." Duba was however quick to assure council employees in the parking department that the new system will not lead to job losses.

"We will start with parking tickets whereby motorists will now be required to pay electronically. This success of this system will be replicated in other departments," said Duba. Adding that automation of services at the council is their main goal and revealed failure to collect revenue has been negatively impacting delivery of services.

"The council will for once stop the pilferage of resources where only about 40% of the manually collected cash reach the council coffers. "This system will also stop the efficiency and inconvenience especially in parking where my unscrupulous officers have been playing hide and seek with motorists when they need to pay and attend to other things.

The proposed e-payment is capable of consuming date, identifying and invoicing. One is also be able to get an invoice via the short message services (sms), electronic payment and confirmation while the council can reconcile its accounts and compliance flagging at the touch of a button.

"The potential is high once we go electronic and we target billions. We intend to educate the public on how they can use the services. He added that after the pilot service, the project will be rolled out to afford city residents pay for other services like the single business permits, land rates, health certificates and other invoiced services offered by the council.

Content Credit: allafrica.com News

Photo Credit: flickr.com

31/08/2012