Court orders release of 117 city taxis impounded over strike

Politics and policy

A police officer holds number plates removed from taxis on City Hall way on March 5, 2014. Justice Isaac Lenaola has ordered that all cars impounded during the matatu strike be released. Photo/Jeff Angote  NATION MEDIA GROUP

By MAUREEN KAKAH

In Summary

• High Court Judge Isaac Lenaola ordered that the seized motor vehicles including their number plates that had been removed be released upon production of logbooks, identification documents and a negotiable fee of Sh9,000.
   

Taxi operators got reprieve Thursday after High Court ordered the Nairobi County Government to release 117 city cabs with their number plates it had impounded during a matatu strike earlier this month.

High Court Judge Isaac Lenaola ordered that the seized motor vehicles including their number plates that had been removed be released upon production of logbooks, identification documents and a negotiable fee of Sh9,000.

“The listed 117 taxis shall be released to their owners by the County Government of Nairobi and the Registrar of Motor Vehicles on production of logbooks and identification documents together with their number plates upon payment of impounding charges of Sh9,000,” said Justice Lenaola.

The judge added that the impounding and towing fees shall be negotiable between the taxi operators and City Hall.

Kenya Taxi Cabs Association and five taxi operators had moved to court on Thursday last week demanding the release of their vehicles and number plates which had been seized during protests by public service vehicles (PSVs) over high cost of doing business.

The taxi lobby together with Peter Mburu, Laban Maina, Peter Wanjama, Lawrence Kimani and Job Nzioka had alleged that during the demonstrations along the streets of Nairobi, taxi operators were discriminatorily arrested, charged and fined.

They further alleged that the Nairobi County Government had the number plates of their vehicles removed without any legal charges or demand.

They claimed that the detention and fining of taxi vehicles was discriminatory as matatu and bus operators also participated in the protests.

They had also demanded that the DPP, the Inspector General of Police and the County Government of Nairobi be barred from selling, disposing, re-detaining or interfering in any way with their motor vehicle registration numbers and plates.

Justice Lenaola directed that all parties to the suit report back to court on the progress made with regards to the releasing of the vehicles on April 4.