This archive report was first published on 3 October 2021.
As the school holiday season kicked off, hundreds of Nairobians who had planned to spend their weekends at Uhuru Park were left disappointed when they found the park closed for rehabilitation. The Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) had announced the closure last week, citing the need for a facelift, which will also see adjacent Central Park receive a makeover.
For families like Margaret Njenga's, who had made it a tradition to visit the park every weekend, the closure came as a shock. 'I was not aware that the park has been closed, I wanted to have fun with the children before they go back to school,' she said, adding that it was usually their family tradition to visit Uhuru Park or other amusement parks during the weekends.
Matatu drivers like those from Kayole who rely on the park as a popular destination for families were also caught off guard. 'I usually take my family to the park every Sunday, which is the only day I manage to hang out with my children and wife,' one driver said, expressing concern about how he would survive during the park's closure.
Traders who had been making a living from the park's weekend crowds, including boat owners, hawkers, and face painters, were also left reeling. Joseph Maina, a trader who has been operating at the park for 20 years, lamented the closure, saying it had left him with fewer options and he didn't know how he would survive during the park's closure.
However, some traders like Albert Njreu expressed hope that the NMS would consider them when offering manual jobs like planting grass as they wait for the facelift to be completed. NMS Director-General Maj Gen Mohamed Badi had recently announced that the renovation would be completed before Christmas, with the aim of transforming the park into a modern facility.
Published on October 3, 2021, at 9:46 PM EAT.
