Date for the reopening of Uhuru, Central parks revealed

Uhuru and Central parks will be opened to the public on December 12 after13 months of closure.

This will also be the same time when the first annual Nairobi Festival will be launched to appreciate the city's diverse food, culture and art.

“The annual Nairobi Festival will be held at Uhuru Park which will also be launched on December 12,” Governor Johnson Sakaja said on Thursday.

“An announcement will be launched prior where the public will know what they require to access the parks and for the festival.”

Uhuru and Central parks have been closed since last year November when renovations were made by the Nairobi Metropolitan Service.

MPs had allocated Sh1 billion for the renovations.

Using its contractors, NMS renovated Uhuru and Central parks into a world-class modern look for recreational purposes.

The parks were outdated and renovations ought to have been done 20 years ago.

Sakaja had earlier said that the public will access the two parks for free.

Uhuru Park will have manicured lawns, maintained trees, enhanced walkways and green spaces.

The lilies pond at the park will be turned into an aquarium named Uhuru Aquascape.

A larger artificial lake will be transformed into a major waterfront with a Swahili restaurant.

There will be an outdoor amphitheatre fitted with an audiovisual screen, a Nyatiti-shaped events garden, and a children’s play area complete with bouncing castles and merry-go-rounds.

The iconic Nyayo statue and Mau Mau freedom fighters' monuments will be maintained.

There will be a botanical space with all species of flowers and plants to capture Kenya’s floral biodiversity. Flowers and plants are labelled to enhance learning.

Management offices, event spaces, ablution facilities, physical exercise spaces and touristic features and attractions will be available.

They will be fenced and manned, allowing the two parks to operate on a 24-hour basis.

There will be terraced sitting areas with a biosphere look, a dancing fountain put up along Processional Way, several eateries and two high-end restaurants

Central Park will have an outdoor library for use by children to read and it will also be used for book launches.

The two parks were closed for renovations in October after Nairobi MCAs approved a motion to rehabilitate them.

A motion by former Nairobi Majority leader Abdi Ibrahim Guyo sought to have the parks urgently closed and restored to their former glory.

Guyo said the iconic parks have suffered years of neglect and are in a state of disrepair.

He said they risk losing their appeal, historical significance and recognition should they not be rehabilitated quickly.