Greenbelt Movement, two others request information on Uhuru park Commercialization made public

By Catherine Muema Last updated Apr 22, 2024

An aerial view of renovated Uhuru park. PHOTO/Courtesy.

In a letter addressed to the city County governor Johnson Sakaja, the Law Society of Kenya, Greenbelt Movement and Dr. Owiso Owiso Advocate, requested to know the details of the county planning to have the park turned into a commercial center with restaurants and club houses.

They also requested to be informed on how the county is planning to create, promote and protect the non-commercialized open green spaces in the seventeen sub-counties.

The three have also requested to know how long the county will be taking to re-open Central park located within the Central Business District(CBD) which was closed for renovations as Uhuru park.

“Pursuant to Article 35 of the 2010 constitution, kindly share with us and the great residents of Nairobi the plans on conversion of the extensive green space Uhuru Park into a commercial center with restaurants and club houses, Nairobi County’s plan on creation, protection and promotion of non-commercialized green spaces in atleast every of the 17 sub-counties and the time-frame of reopening the non-commercialized Central park.” The letter stated in part.

The three have vowed to sue the Sakaja-led government if their request is not granted.

The request comes hours after Sakaja clashed with the defense Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale over the use of Uhuru park for political rallies.

Sakaja stated that it is upon them to decide on how the park will be used while the defense CS adviced him that for it to maintain a global standard, the political class has to be kept away from it.

“ It is us upto us to decide what the park will be used to. But that I agree , there are certain things we cannot allow. Now the park will be under us and it will be upto us to decide.” Sakaja said.

He added that Kamukunji grounds was open for political rallies but upon payment as indicated in the Nairobi Finance Act, 2023.

In response, CS Duale told Sakaja that for the park to be maintain the global park standards, rallies should not be allowed.

“ I’m just giving the Governor a hint that if we have to maintain the global park stands, we have to give an alternative for political rallies. We cant have our cake and eat it.” He said.

“We can’t have a good park and people destroy the park in six hours.”

The CS urged the Governor to maintain the park to standards .

Further, Sakaja hinted that the park will be commercialized to have restaurants and even one club away from the estates where several clubs have been closed due to noise.