Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has issued a demand letter to Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale urging him to address the issue of the closed park and reopen it urgently. The park is currently being renovated by engineers from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
Expressing deep concern over the continued shutdown of the iconic park, Sifuna emphasized the adverse effects its closure was inflicting on the city.
He further demanded the immediate reopening of the Park, highlighting a previous agreement made in December 2023 during discussions with the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), who were tasked with overseeing renovation efforts.
Despite assurances made during the meeting to reopen the park as soon as possible, Sifuna underscored that Uhuru Park remains inaccessible to the public, leading to mounting grievances from citizens.
In his demand letter to Duale, Sifuna pressed for clarification on several key points regarding the status of the park. He sought information on whether renovation works were still ongoing, whether the facility had been formally returned to the County Government, and if not, what underlying issues were causing the delay in its reopening.
Additionally, Sifuna urged Duale to provide a timeline for when Nairobians can expect to regain access to the park.
Governor Johnson Sakaja had previously announced plans to reopen Uhuru Park in December 2023 following the conclusion of the Nairobi festival. However, despite these assurances and the initial closure for renovation purposes, the park remains shuttered to the public.
The renovation efforts at Uhuru Park were initiated by the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services under the direction of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, with the aim of aligning the park with international standards. Yet, as the closure persists, Sifuna’s demand for transparency and action underscores the urgency of the situation for Nairobi residents.
