Edwin Sifuna Writes to Aden Duale, Raises 4 Questions Over Uhuru Park Closure

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has written a demand letter to Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden duale over the reopening of Uhuru Park.

Sifuna lamented that the continued closure of the park was proving detrimental to the city demanding its immediate reopening.

The outspoken lawmaker indicated that Uhuru Park was supposed to be opened in December 2023 following a meeting with the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) which was tasked with carrying out the renovation exercise.

However, the ODM Secretary-General noted that the park is yet to be opened despite the pledge during their meeting.

"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," Sifuna's letter read in part.

"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," it added.

Following the continued closure, Sifuna noted that he had received numerous complaints regarding the facility.

Sifuna directed Duale to explain whether there are still ongoing works at the facility, whether the facility has been officially handed back to the County Government, If not, what underlying issues continue to delay the return of the park to public use and when Nairobians can expect to resume use of the Park.

Governor Johnson Sakaja had earlier announced that the facility would be opened in December 2023 after the Nairobi festival, but it is yet to be opened to the public.

It was closed for renovations and KDF was assigned the task of making it match international standards by the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services which was installed by former President Uhuru Kenyatta.