Uhuru Park has finally opened its doors to the public, and entry will be free, according to the announcement by Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja. Nairobi county Governor Johnson Sakaja speaking during the mass registration of private security guards at Uhuru Park. Photo: Sakaja Johnson. Source: UGC Sakaja made this announcement on Saturday, March 30, when he presided over the mass registration of private security guards for Guard Force Numbers. “We shall never forget this day because you are the first Kenyans to access this park during its opening. It is now open to everyone,” Sakaja told the guards during the event held at the revered historical park. “The Ministry of Defence handed over the park to the county after completing the renovation, and now it will be open to the public from today,” Sakaja said. How much will be Uhuru Park entrance fee? He was categorical that the county would not charge Kenyans anything to access the park as it was before the renovation works were done. There were rife speculations that the county was considering imposing a fee for Nairobians to access the parks. Its continued closure for over two years had raised eyebrows, prompting Nairobi leaders and residents to question the delay. Edwin Sifuna asks Sakaja to open Uhuru Park In February 2024, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna wrote to Sakaja and the Ministry of Defence to clarify when the park would open its doors to Nairobi residents. Sifuna pointed out that something was not adding up as renovation works had been declared complete in October 2023, and over four months later, the mark was not yet open to the public. Why did the government close Uhuru Park? The park was closed in 2021 for rehabilitation by the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), which contracted the Ministry of Defence to conduct renovation works on the 12.9-hectare public amenity. The park remained closed to the public longer than anticipated despite the Defence Ministry having indicated that it had handed back the public amenity to the county. The county has been using the park to host some events, including the Nairobi Festival in 2022 and 2023. Sakaja also noted that the opening of Central Park is expected to take some more time as contracted work has yet to be completed. Earlier the defunct NMS had announced that the Central Park would be opened in 2022.
BY TUKO NEWS
