CS Duale On Why Uhuru Park Is Yet To Be Opened
Duale indicated that renovation works were still ongoing at the city park and that once complete, the park, alongside Central Park, would be handed over to Governor Johnson Sakaja's administration.
Marvin Chege 
Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has addressed concerns raised by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna regarding the continued closure of Uhuru Park for nearly three years.
Duale indicated that renovation works were still ongoing at the city park and that once complete, the park, alongside Central Park, would be handed over to Governor Johnson Sakaja's administration.
Renovation works had been undertaken by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) in conjunction with the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), a matter which has made Kenyans wait for a couple of years to enjoy the facilities at Uhuru Park permanently again.
"They (KDF) haven't handed over. The contractors are still at Uhuru Park and are also not done at Central Park," he was quoted as saying by The Star.
Inside the refurbished Uhuru Park in Nairobi. /NMS
"We shall hand over when all the amenities are complete soon."
This comes after Sifuna wrote to Duale on February 17, uncovering details of a meeting held between himself, the CS and Governor Sakaja over the rehabilitation works.
The meeting held in October 2023 resolved that the facility needed to be reopened as soon as possible once the rehabilitation works were complete.
"At a meeting between the Nairobi Governor, myself and the KDF personnel in charge of the refurbishment of Uhuru Park held on 13th October 2023 at the Facility, it was confirmed that indeed all works had been completed and that the facility would be opened to the public in December 2023," recounted the Senator.
Sifuna raised questions regarding the city's most popular park remaining out of reach to Kenyans despite an initial promise to reopen the park in December 2023 following a meeting with KDF.
"Close to four months later the facility remains inaccessible occasioning great inconvenience to the residents of Nairobi and to the thousands of visitors the city receives on a daily basis. Following numerous complaints reaching my office, I write to you to kindly confirm the following," he added.
Sifuna then sought clarification as to whether or not there are still ongoing works at the facility and whether the facility has been officially handed back to the County Government.
He also wants to know what underlying issues continue to delay the return of the park to public use by Nairobi residents and when the residents can expect to resume use of the park.
Notably, Viral Tea reported on November 23, 2023, that Uhuru Park would be officially reopened on December 12, 2023, after a two-year closure for purposes of renovation works by KDF.
Anastasia Nyalita, County Executive, Inclusivity, Public participation and Customer Service, revealed that the reopening would take place alongside the 2nd edition of the Nai Fest (Nairobi Festival).
However, after the festival concluded, the park was still yet to be made available for public use, as per our numerous spot checks.
