This archive report was first published on 3 November 2019.
On November 3, 2019, the government provided a much-needed assurance that not an inch of Nairobi's iconic Uhuru Park would be sacrificed for the construction of an expressway from JKIA to the Westlands suburb.
Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia's prompt response to public outcry over the project is a welcome gesture, indicating that the government is indeed listening to the concerns of its citizens.
However, without full disclosure on how the design will be rejigged, the assurance may still leave some doubts lingering in the minds of those who are skeptical about the project's intentions.
There has been a public outcry following reports that 1.3 acres of the park would be hived off for construction of the road, which would have been the second attempt to invade and drastically interfere with this prime spot in the city.
The first attempt, in the 1990s, was successfully fought off by the late environmental conservation icon, Prof Wangari Maathai.
The new highway, estimated to cost Sh59.9 billion through a public-private partnership, will be a pay-for-use project to ease endemic traffic congestion in the city.
However, it is essential that the people are not forced to shoulder the heavy double-burden of loan repayments and meeting the high cost of operations, which will be Sh300 per car for the entire distance.
