Pressure is mounting on Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to open up renovated public spaces like Uhuru and Central park for public use and extend the rehabilitation campaigns to Jamhuri and City parks.
So far, two MCAs have filed motions in the assembly to compel Sakaja's City Hall to expedite the renovation processes and allow Nairobi residents to access and enjoy the facilities.
The latest motion is brought by Waithera Chege who represents Nairobi South.
She wants the assembly to compel the administration to modernise the public spaces and stock them with facilities that are beneficial to the city residents.
She wants the renovation works to be expeditious and not take long like is the case with Uhuru park.
Spaces like Uhuru Park, Central Park, Michuki Memorial Park, and Jeevanjee Gardens were renovated by the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Service in collaboration with the National government and were designated as presidential legacy projects in the waning days of Uhuru era.
Uhuru park, however, is yet to be opened to the public. Governor allowed public access last December when he staged a Nairobi festival. It is not clear why the facility remains closed yet the county had indicated the renovation works had been concluded.
The motion by Waithera wants City Hall to furnish the assembly with strategies and policy footprints that will see the remaining two parks renovated and modernised and the public allowed to enjoy.
“…. Jamhuri park [and] City park [..] remain in a state of disrepair; this Assembly resolves that the County Executive urgently develops strategy and measures to rehabilitate all county parks with a view of restoring them….” the motion reads.
The renovation demanded in the motion entails developing aesthetic recreation facilities, green gardens and installations for outdoor events.
“[The county should develop] modern aesthetics for recreational areas, botanical spaces, facilities for outdoor events; and all such related undertakings as are essential to modernise and beautify the parks,” the motion tabled said.
Sakaja had promised that the renovation drive was targeting all the parks in Nairobi including Jamhuri and City park. He made the commitments late last year when he open Uhuru park in the run up to the December festivities.
“Some unscrupulous people have grabbed some of these social amenity areas, we are reclaiming them, improving them and will create new ones to ensure that every subcounty has at least a recreational facility,” the governor said at the time.
The motion by Waithera follows a similar one by her nominated colleague Perpetua Mponjiwa compelling City Hall to develop a library in the already renovated parks, including Uhuru Park, stocked with reading materials for all ages.
Her motion also called for ensuring the parks have space for games and other indoor amenities accessible without charge.
“…..this Assembly urges the County Executive to establish a public resource centre (mini-library) at the newly refurbished Uhuru Park to act as an open source library stocked with reading materials for all age categories, a free area for board games and other appropriate indoor amenities that shall be accessible by all members of the public free-of-charge,” the motion by Mponjiwa reads in part.
