• Great levels Limited was awarded Sh4 million by the Sports Fund for the facelift.
• This came after public outcry over its sorry state after years of vandalism.
Image: COURTESY
The monument of former trade unionist and Cabinet minister Tom Mboya is set to be unveiled afresh after the initial one was pulled down for refurbishing.
The rehabilitation followed public outcry over its sorry state. The statue is stationed along Moi Avenue, Nairobi. It was erected in 2011 in honour of the Independence politician who was assassinated in 1969. It stands about 20 metres from where he was murdered.
In September, the statue was pulled down and ferried to the National Museums of Kenya – the main custodian of all national monuments. According to museums director general Mzalendo Kibunjia, the contractors, Great levels Limited, was awarded Sh4 million by the Sports Fund for the facelift.
The statue will now be surrounded by barriers that will prevent anybody from getting close to it.
“It is designed in such a way that nobody can climb all the way up to the statue like before. We have put in place mechanisms and ensured that even if they jump in, they will not be able to climb up because of the slanting polished tiles that are three metres high,” Samson Malaki, an architect and designer with the National Museums, said.
At the bottom of the statue, there will be plaques on all four sides. Around it will be four fountains and a symbol that will represent his ancestral home in Rusinga Island, Homa Bay county, with a flower bed surrounding it.
To ensure security, a CCTV camera will be placed at the National Archives building. Security guards will also be at the site round the clock.
Night lights will also be introduced around it for residents to appreciate it as signage. Notices will be put in place to encourage members of the public not to jump in.
The refurbishment is also set to bring back business opportunities, especially for photographers who had earlier decried loss of business after the monument was brought down. It also serves as a hub for hawkers, preachers and entertainers such as acrobats.
Tom Mboya was one of the founders of the famous Gor Mahia FC in 1968 and the football club’s fans have made it a habit to visit the statue to “pay their respects and receive blessings” before and after matches played in the city.
The statue has been idolised and has reminded Kenyans of the important piece of history the unionist left while fighting for democracy. It was unveiled by President Mwai Kibaki in 2011.
Members of the public told the Star that they are ecstatic and eager to see it back. They hope the monument will not be vandalised again.
Edited by Francis Orieny