Open Uhuru Park To Keep Protesters Off Streets, Sakaja Told

Nominated MCA Nasra Nanda urges Governor Sakaja to consider increasing Ward Development Fund for creation of public parks, green spaces and environmental projects in the Wards and Sub – counties.

By Adieri Mulaa

Lack of public parks in Nairobi has been cited as one of the reasons demonstrators in the Monday Maandamano opted for the city streets.

Nairobi county assembly Minority Leader Anthony Kiragu on Tuesday told the House the protestors may have gone to the streets because they lacked ideal places for picketing.

He was contributing to a Motion authored by Nairobi South MCA Waithera Chege, seeking rehabilitation and modernization of public parks in Nairobi county.

The county legislator received a thunderous applause by Members when he said the demonstrators would have moved peacefully and picketed at Uhuru Park for as long as they wished, without causing chaos on streets in the central business district.

The Motion which was moved by nominated MCA Nasra Nanda on behalf of Ms Waithera sailed through after receiving full support by members who termed it as a noble idea for Nairobians.

“Madam Speaker, members of the public have nowhere to go. May be for the whole purpose of the Monday demonstrations, if Uhuru Park was open, my brothers and sisters would not have demonstrated in the streets”, Kiragu told the House amid applause and cheering.]

READ ALSO: You Wont Pay to Acces Uhuru Park Sakaja Tells Nairobians

The plenary session was chaired by nominated MCA Malyun Abdi, a Member of the Speaker’s Panel.

In his contribution, Kiragu who is Waithaka Ward MCA pointed out that Nairobi did not have public parks and green spaces which the city residents could freely use for their public activities.

Kiragu explained that last Monday, the county revenue sector collected a paltry Kshs. 15 million against a normal daily collection of close to Kshs 100 million, due to the demonstrations.

Uhuru Park was closed two years ago for rehabilitation and modernization by the now defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Service which was headed by Lt.Gen. Mohamed Badi.

“Madam Speaker, I want to urge the county executive that Uhuru Park be opened up to the public so that anybody who wants to picket or demonstrate could do it at the park because it has been done so well” said the Minority Leader.

All Members who contributed to the Motion noted that although Nairobi was a mordern city, greening had been forgotten in the capital’s suburbs.

Ruai Ward MCA Samuel Kago said the county should embark on establishing green spaces in the Wards.

The first term MCA singled out expansive landfills in Mihang’o Ward and Spring Valley/Matopeni Ward in Eastlands area, which could be developed into recreational parks for the residents.

In her reply on behalf of the Motion’s author, Nasra Nanda urged Governor Johnson Sakaja to consider increasing Ward Development Fund allocation for development of public parks, green spaces and environmental projects in the Wards and Sub – counties.