Will Nairobi's Green Park terminus ever take off?

The much-hyped Green Park Bus terminus was meant to decongest the Nairobi Central Business District.

However, despite President Uhuru Kenyatta inspecting the terminus three times last year, it has not been opened.

Feedback from the test run is said to have caused further delay as some issues had to be fixed.

The Nairobi Metropolitan Services last year conducted at least three test runs to identify challenges and loopholes in the terminus.

The first carried out on April 27, 2021, was marred with confusion and frustrations.

The three-hour test run, which started at 6am, was aimed to observe how matatus will drop off commuters at the terminus.

The second one took place on May 28, 2021, in the evening from 3pm to 6 pm, to observe the picking up of commuters.

After the second test NMS director of transport and public works Michael Ochieng’ said some adjustments in terms of Covid-19 safety measures and the furniture at the terminus had to be done.

The furniture adjustments were to ensure matatus are not damaged while making a U-turn to drop off passengers.

“We have to ensure that there will be minimal confusion within the terminus,” Ochieng’ said.

Matatu drivers also lamented that the traffic was unbearable as they entered the terminus.

They urged the NMS to look into ways to shorten the time spent entering and leaving the terminus.

The third test run was done on June 17, 2021, and it was a whole day affair that ran from 5am to 9pm Friday.

Last month, Ochieng’ said the delay had been occasioned by the construction of the Nairobi Expressway.

A month later, it was announced that the bus termini will open up for business after NMS called for lease applications from the public.

The entity exempted traders who were operating from the former Lunar park and people or firms who had previously expressed interest from applying.

To date, no updates  have been given on the status of the application.

In terms of allocating the space, NMS director general Lt Gen Mohammed Badi revealed that 60 per cent will be for the general public, while 35 per cent will be reserved for women and youth.

Persons living with disabilities have not been left out as 5 percent of space will be reserved for them.

Still, nothing has been announced concerning the process.

Then came September and NMS announced it had roped in four China-trained engineers to assist in the automation of terminus.

The team of engineers was from the Kenya Railways Corporation and had been trained on automated traffic management.

Green Park is among six other termini the Nairobi Metropolitan Services is setting up at a cost of Sh350 million.

The termini will be the official pick-up and drop-off points once public vehicles are barred from the CBD.

Apart from Green Park, others include Desai, Park road, Ladhies Muthurwa, Fig Tree and Bunyala-Workshop Road.

Reports indicate that Green Park has a capacity to accommodate 300 to 350 vehicles at any given time and up to 20,000 matatus in a day.

Bunyala-Workshop Road will be reserved for matatus plying Mombasa Road, South B, South C, Industrial Area, Imara Daima, Athi River, Kitengela and Machakos routes.

All matatus currently using Tea Room and Accra Road plying Thika Superhighway and long-distance matatus from Mt Kenya move to Desai and Park road termini in Ngara.

The terminus at Muthurwa-Ladhies will serve matatus from Jogoo and Lusaka roads.

Green Park will not only be a bus termini but will also have other amenities. A supermarket will be set up and there is a Level Two hospital already operating within the terminus.

An abolition block has also been stationed at the terminal.

There is also a fully operational police post together with sitting bays for commuters.