Uhuru and Central parks will be ready and open to the public in February next year, the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) has said.
The two parks, located adjacent to Nairobi city centre, have been closed for a more than a month now to allow for renovations.
According to NMS Head of Strategic Communications Tony Mbarine, the upgrade of the two parks will continue until February when people will again be allowed to access their recreational areas.
Allaying fears that Uhuru Park has been grabbed by a private developer, Mr Mbarine clarified that NMS is upgrading the parks using their own contractors and not a private contractor, adding that “there is no way we can do the upgrade while the park is open”.
“The parks have been outdated for long. A lot of things were not working and we are just doing what should have been done 20 years ago. By February, they will be open as very beautiful parks,” he said.
He said the renovation involves fitting modern facilities and amenities which have been lacking due to years of neglect, hence the need for an upgrade.
Mr Mbarine pointed out that, for instance, basic facilities at the parks were built for city residents in the 1960’s and 80’s who were fewer than one million at the time. – Daily Nation
