Nairobi's Uhuru Park and Central Park will soon be no-go-zones for members of the public after the Nairobi County Assembly approved a motion to close the spaces for rehabilitation.
The MCAs have called upon the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) Director-General Mohamed Badi, and Nairobi acting Governor Ann Kananu, to immediately issue a notice to the public, directing them to stay away for three months.
Speaking on Tuesday, September 28, the Majority Leader Abdi Guyo, who is also the motion mover said the parks are in deplorable condition and need urgent rehabilitation.
Guyo expressed concern, saying the parks have been neglected for years, making them lose their appeal and historical significance.
“While NMS has invested heavily in the renovation of Michuki Memorial Park, which investment has greatly boosted the usage of the park with greater numbers visiting the refurbished park on a daily basis, the same should be done to Uhuru Park and Central Park which remain in a state of disrepair,” Guyo remarked.
Notably, Guyo explained that reviving and rehabilitation of the green spaces in Nairobi and urban parks needs full support from the country.
The motion was seconded by Michael Ogada, the Minority Leader. He pushed for the three-month closure, saying the parks need ample time to ensure the renovations are well done.
He further urged the government to step up, and prioritize the rehabilitation of the spaces, because fencing them alone is not enough.
“Let us give them the three months they are requesting, but let them not fence off the place and then disappear,” Ogada mentioned.
Benson Mwangi, who is Mowlem MCA urged the government to work on this immediately, explaining that the place has lost its glory, as it has been turned into a den of uncouth behaviour.
The MCAs recounted the blast that took place in June 2010 at Uhuru Park, leaving making six people lose their lives and hundreds injured.
The grounds used for political and religious gatherings shall now be closed for three months, to allow it to regain its lost glory.
