The newly-refurbished Uhuru and Central parks in close proximity to Nairobi’s city center will see a shift in function, Defense Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale informed the Senate on Wednesday.
These recreational spaces have been inaccessible to the public since March 2022, undergoing restoration overseen by the Kenya Defence Forces and the now-disbanded Nairobi Metropolitan Services.
In his update to the senators regarding the progress of the renovations, Duale emphasized that upon their eventual reopening, political gatherings would no longer be permitted within the premises.
Quoting the defense minister, “That park will never again be used by politicians to address rallies; it is out of bounds. The political class will look for another venue. Uhuru and Central parks belong to Kenyans.”
Among the refurbishments carried out by military personnel were the rehabilitation of green areas, restoration of monuments, infrastructural improvements, and bolstered security measures including fencing and the implementation of a visitor management system.
Duale acknowledged that while substantial progress had been made, certain aspects of the renovation, particularly water and drainage connections, remained pending.
He elaborated that collaborative efforts with the Nairobi County Government were underway to address these outstanding tasks.
“The construction work at Uhuru Park is practically complete as per the contract, however, we have 8 percent pending works.
We are signing an MoU with the County Government of Nairobi and in less than three weeks, they will fix them,” Duale stated.
He further highlighted the necessity of awaiting the completion of the main drainage infrastructure along Uhuru Highway by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KENHA), assuring that these works would be finalized soon.
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