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Michuki Memorial Park to be opened to the public in August


Michuki Memorial Park in Nairobi is scheduled to be opened to the public in August as a recreational park and educational center.

Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko, who flagged off a clean-up activities and enforcement action last week at the park says the rehabilitation of the park is part of the ongoing process of greening and bringing back the city’s lost glory.

GREEN SPACES

The park, named in honour of the late former Environment Minister John Michuki who had pushed for the cleanup of Nairobi River and its surrounding, is situated along Nairobi River between the Globe Cinema Roundabout and the Museum Hill interchange.

Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko at the Michuki Memorial Park in Nairobi. PHOTO | COURTESY
Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko at the Michuki Memorial Park in Nairobi. PHOTO | COURTESY

Work to transform the 26-acre park has been shaping up after it was handed to Kenya Forest Service in April as one of the green spaces in Nairobi.

“The greatest challenge on pollution is the informal settlements where lack of proper sanitation facilities in informal settlements has made people turn into river pollutants,” Tobiko said.

REHABILITATION

Currently the Michuki Memorial Park has undergone a major face lift, the rehabilitation has brought on board key partners among them Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Nairobi Metropolitan Services, and National Environment Management Authority (Nema).

Already 2.4km of walkways have been set up, as well as a nursery which will be supplied with indigenous trees.

Public toilets have also been set up, plans are also underway for a café and an open Amphitheatre for public performances.

Before 2008, when the late Michuki fronted the idea to restore the area, more than two thirds of the land was largely unattended and was used as an illegal dumpsite.

So far a perimeter fence has been erected to keep off outsiders and curb encroachment into the park.