The High Court on Thursday issued a temporary injunction barring the government from implementing a plan to raise fees for key citizen services, including ID replacement, passport acquisition, and marriage certificates.
The injunction was issued in response to a petition filed by several civil society organizations, who argued that the proposed fee increases would disproportionately burden low-income Kenyans.
In a gazette notice issued in August, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki announced a plan to increase the fees for various government services. The proposed increases ranged from 20% to 100%.
The civil society organizations argued that the proposed fee increases were illegal and would violate the constitutional right of access to essential services. They also argued that the increases would exacerbate the financial hardship faced by many Kenyans.
“A conservatory order be and is hereby issued suspending Gazette Notices No. 15239-15242 dated 6th November 2023 and/or any other document purporting to give authority to increase or review the charges/fees/levies specified therein pending the hearing and determination of this Application inter-partes,” the ruling read in part.
The case will now be heard on November 29, 2023.
