This archive report was first published on 14 December 2019.
On a sunny but breezy afternoon in Nairobi, a stroll at Uhuru Park, the city's ecological lungs, reveals a sorry state of neglect. The park, a favourite picnic site and open-air crusade spot, is now a haven for slithering animals and a breeding ground for disease.
Accessing the park through the Freedom Corner entry path, one is immediately struck by the smelly water flowing over the path used by thousands of Nairobi residents daily. The stagnant water on the right side of the path towards the Freedom Corner, where epic second liberation battles were fought, is a stark reminder of the park's neglect.
Visitors walk past the swampy ground in Uhuru Park Nairobi on Thursday, with the heavy rains making the area impassable. To reach the cabro-paved main path, they have to get to a muddy pathway, hopping, skipping, and jumping to avoid wading through the wet and soggy lawn.
The main path connecting the Central Business District (CBD) and Community area is narrow yet busy, with the iconic Unity and Peace Memorial located at the entrance opposite Parliament Buildings a shadow of its former self. The fountains around it have run out of water, and uncollected litter continues to pile where sparkly water once flowed.
Photographers who mill around are forced to innovate to capture the walls without picking out the rot and spoil the good memories. Waste dumped in Uhuru Park Nairobi is a common sight, with drinking fountains within the park having fallen to misuse and neglect. Many have run dry and are rusty, including an orange-painted drinking water pipe donated by the Dutch embassy last year, which does not work.
At the boat riding pool behind the main dais, a group of idle youngsters laze around, while at the main dais, where some of Kenya's most important political events have been held, we meet a lonely Joseph Mulee. 'I come here everyday just to relax and take a nap. I work at Marikiti market where I push handcarts. Here, there is a quiet peace and fresh air. But I am constantly harassed by City Council askaris who always accuse me of dumping waste here and there,' says Mulee.
Around him are plastic lunchboxes, bottles, and empty yoghurt tins, dumped by irresponsible park goers. There are waste bins around the park, but they are few and are ever full. You can tell that they have not been emptied for a while. A few metres from Mulee is a temporary pit full of garbage that seems not to have been collected for days.
Today, there was a graduation ceremony at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) and graduands and their families have descended on the park to take pictures. As darkness sets in, we walk back to office and on our way, we see two horses grazing after a long day of rides.
On October 28, activist Boniface Mwangi tweeted: 'Governor @MikeSonko Uhuru Park is very dirty, few dustbins. Tap donated by @NLinKenya isn’t working. Mau Mau monument built by @UKinKenya is neglected, some people use it as a toilet. It’s the only Mau Mau monument in Kenya and was paid for by the British as part of reparations.'
Responding to Mwangi's concerns, Governor Mike Sonko tweeted: 'We have noted your concerns and we shall move with speed to restore the park to its lost glory. Thank you.'
