•Vendors intending to sell within Uhuru Park will be charged Sh4,000 annually for a clearance certificate.
•On Monday, Defence CS Aden Duale said that the Kenya Defence Forces were ready to hand over both parks to the county government.
Image: TEDDY MULEI
As Kenya Defence Forces finalise works on the newly renovated Uhuru and Central parks, accessing the park won't be free anymore.
Initially, it was free to access both parks regardless of whichever day one visits.
However, the Nairobi Finance Act of 2023 has new charges that Kenyans would pay for certain activities in both parks.
For Uhuru Park, It will cost Sh10,000 per two hours for the flagging-off ceremony.
Charitable organisations events using lawns within the park will have to pay Sh20,000.
Vendors intending to sell within Uhuru Park will be charged Sh4,000 annually for a clearance certificate while trading licences for the same vendors will cost Sh10,000 for the same period.
For those who are interested in leasing the restaurants within Uhuru Park for three years, City Hall will charge Sh10,000 for the containers, Sh30,000 for the station aeroplane, Sh10,000 for the Bus and Sh5,000 for the combis ( a machine with more than two functions).
The charges will be paid monthly.
The entertainment industry has also been targeted and artists will have to dig deeper into their pockets to use the parks.
Music concerts with live performances will be charged Sh100,000 per day to use Uhuru Park. Initially, City Hall used to charge Sh5,000.
Music concerts without live performances will have to part with Sh50,000 daily while live performances for international acts will be charged Sh150,000 per day.
Group events within Uhuru Park will be charged according to the number of seats.
“ 0-49 seater will be charged Sh5,000 per day while 50-100 seats will pay Sh10,000," the Finance Bill, 2023 reads.
Pitching of tenants will also be charged daily and as per the seats.
0-49 seats will cost Sh10,000, 50-99 seats Sh 15,000, and seats between 100 and 199 the public will pay Sh20,000.
Organisations planning to use more than 200 seats (mega tent) will be charged Sh30,000 to use Uhuru Park.
The charges at Central Park are almost the same, with flagging-off ceremonies not exceeding two hours per event increased from Sh5,000 to Sh10,000.
Charitable organisations events using lawns at the Park will be charged Sh10,000 daily.
Pitching of tents at Central Park will cost Sh10,000 for 0-49 seats daily, Sh10,000 for 50-99 seats, Sh15,000 for seats between 100 to 199 and Sh20,000 for seats above 200.
In order to use the amphitheatre daily, City Hall will charge Sh40,000 while to use the Nyatiti water feature will cost Sh80,000.
To lease the outdoor gym at Central Park, City Hall will charge Sh10,000 per month, for the Skate Park it will cost Sh10,000 and for the children's amusement area, it will cost Sh20,000.
For music concerts with live performances at Central Park, the price has increased from Sh5,000 to Sh100,000 daily.
Music concerts without live performances will be charged Sh50,000 daily while live performances for international act will cost Sh150,000 daily.
On Monday, Defence CS Aden Duale said that the Kenya Defence Forces were ready to hand over both parks to the county government.
Uhuru and central parks have been under renovation under the KDF through defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) since September 2021 in an effort to bring them up to international standards.
The renovated green spaces will play an important role in environmental pollution management, the nation’s socioeconomic development, and citizens’ physical well-being.
The military has been constructing the parks whose new look will involve installing modern facilities and amenities which the parks have been lacking.
The parks had been neglected for many years and needed an upgrade.