After Being Closed for Two Years, Uhuru Park Is About to Open
Since 2021, Kenyans have not been allowed to enter the park because to renovations carried out by the military and the now-defunct Nairobi Metropolita
After Being Closed for Two Years, Uhuru Park Is About to Open
Since 2021, Kenyans have not been allowed to enter the park because of renovations carried out by the military and the now-defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS). On few times, nevertheless, the Park has been briefly opened.
On December 12, Uhuru Park will formally reopen to the public after being closed for two years to make room for extensive improvements.
Notably, according to an earlier schedule, former President Uhuru Kenyatta was to officially open the park on September 12, 2022, in what would have been his final official activity before turning over the reins of power to President William Ruto on September 13, 2022. The park opened in December 2022 for the first Nairobi Festival. However, the inclement weather forced a postponement of the opening.
The ceremonial opening of the park will take place in conjunction with the second iteration of the Nairobi Festival, as stated by Anastasia Nyaliti, the Nairobi County Executive for Inclusivity, Public Participation, and Customer Service.
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“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.
Previous footage that NMS had posted online featured a renovated park with a Boeing airplane and other vintage trucks that had been converted into restaurants.
In addition, Uhuru Park features designated spots for visitors to sit and enjoy the air as well as skating surfaces.
In the meantime, the county administration has announced that Nairobi citizens are invited to audition for the Nai Fest, which is scheduled to take place from December 12 to December 17.
Over 100,000 people are anticipated to attend this year’s Nairobi Festival at Uhuru Park, which will showcase the diversity and talent of the Kenyan capital in music, art, food, and other areas that highlight the lively culture of Nairobians.
Clement “Clemo” Sijenyi, the current County Chief Officer for Culture, Arts, and Heritage and the chairman of the event’s planning committee is a well-known producer who has vowed to offer an extravagant event featuring the best DJs, musicians, chefs, and visual artists in Nairobi.
Additionally, it remains to be seen if Governor Johnson Sakaja would honor his pledge to refrain from charging admission to Uhuru Park; nonetheless, it is quite probable that his administration will impose fees on Nairobians in order to get entry to the Nai Festival, as was the case the previous year.
