Uhuru Park will officially be opened to the public on December 12, following months of closure due to renovations carried out by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
According to Anastasia Nyaliti, the Nairobi County Executive for Inclusivity, Public Participation, and Customer Service, the official opening of the park will coincide with the second edition of the Nairobi Festival.
She indicated that despite the park being ready to be handed over to the county government, it still required some final touches.
“Except for a few final touches, Uhuru Park is ready for handover to the County Government of Nairobi and ready for Nairobi residents and visitors to the city to enjoy its modern amenities," Nyaliti stated.
"Uhuru Park will feature several eateries and high-end hotels, while the iconic Mau Mau freedom fighters, The Pope and The Peace, Love and Unity monuments have been maintained, as well as a more defined Freedom corner in memory of the late Environmentalist the late Prof. Wangari Maathai,” she added.
Kenyans have been unable to access the park since 2021 following renovations that were being undertaken by the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) in conjunction with the military.
However, in December 2022, the park was opened briefly to facilitate the first edition of the Nairobi Festival.
Notably, as per the earlier schedule, the park was to be officially opened by former President Uhuru Kenyatta on September 12, 2022.
However, due to weather conditions, the opening was pushed to a later date.
It is yet to be clear whether there will be entry fee charges to access the venue. Previously, Governor Johnson Sakaja has refuted reports of a Ksh50 entry fee.
Meanwhile, the 2nd Edition of the Nairobi Street Festival will run for six days and end on December 17.
This year's event is set to feature art shows, music concerts and talent search programmes.
