A judge has ordered the immediate reopening of Nairobi’s Central Park, which has remained closed for nearly three years.
On Monday, Environment and Land Court Judge Anne Omollo issued temporary orders, directing the Nairobi County government to reopen the park to the public.
This ruling follows a legal challenge filed by the Green Belt Movement (GBM) over the prolonged closure of the park. The judge expressed confusion, stating that she could not understand why the park remained closed during the festive season.
GBM, an environmental advocacy group, argued that the closure of Central Park and the intermittent opening and closing of Uhuru Park violated the constitutional rights of Nairobi residents to access green spaces.
“City residents are left with no choice but to resort to unsafe areas like road intersections for relaxation,” said Nyaguthie Chege, Chairperson of GBM. “This lack of accessible green spaces degrades the dignity of individuals, while the county government fails in its duty to maintain and provide such spaces.”
The group raised concerns about the ongoing “concretisation” of Central Park, highlighting that there were no visible signs indicating the park’s potential reopening.
“Despite the significant impact of these closures, we commend the court for recognizing that Central Park remains inaccessible, with no clarity on the county government’s intentions,” Chege added.
GBM also pointed out that Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has failed to fulfill his repeated promises to reopen the park. The organization accused the county government of withholding information about the closure, violating Article 35 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to access information.
“A declaration that the Respondents have infringed and violated the constitutional rights of Kenyans by failing to provide information within the province of Article 35, which underpinned the prolonged closure of Central Park and the sporadic opening and closing of Uhuru Park,” the judge stated.
The matter will remain under the court’s directive until the full hearing on February 17, 2025. In the interim, Judge Omollo stressed the importance of transparency and accountability from the county government regarding public spaces.
