In the heart of Nakuru city centre lies the crown jewel that has stood the test of time for over four decades.

The Lions Garden, a space that offers a sanctuary for whoever would want to take a breather and reset their minds from this tense life. The lashes of green and tall trees in the park, presenting a sight to behold, one that would make Wangari Maathai marvel.

However, behind this beautiful scenery lies an ugly past that has come to shape its present form.

Lions Garden started off as a public space where people would come and relax, enjoy and even hold picnics with their families.

Over the course of time, it became the object of desire for land grabbers. Considering its strategic location, one could only imagine the numerous uses one could have for it.

The thought of losing this space was unfathomable to residents of Nakuru and the travellers who used to alight from the matatu terminus around the Gardens as it was some sought of landmark kind of like Archives in Nairobi.

Aware of plans to grab the garden, the Late President Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi did not have any of it. In 1980, President Moi went into the grounds and ordered provisional administration officials and KANU Party youth- wingers to remove the building materials that had been put there by those who had illegally grabbed the land.

David Kuria, the director of Nakuru Humans Rights Network, says that this garden has a rich history, reminiscing the times when both national and local leaders would hold roadside meetings adjacent to the park.

David Kuria who helps organize burial ceremonies for streets children in Nakuru County.

Photo credit: COURTESY

“My history with Lions Gardens goes way back to the early 90s when I was involved in exposing the rot in the then dreaded KANU youth wingers in Nakuru. We were involved in the fight for rights of a group of mothers, then pushing for the release of their sons jailed by the KANU regime,” Mr Kuria recalls.

The Human Rights defender says “We would hold our meetings at the Lions Gardens. One time while we were in the middle of our meeting, KANU youth wingers stormed the meeting and chased us away with whips. We never held such meetings there again.”

For Willy Kifoi, the chairman of Lions Garden photographers, the garden has been his business premises for over 20 years.

Willy Kifoi, the chairman of Lions Garden photographers.

Photo credit: BRET SANYA/MTAA WANGU

“This Garden has pretty much remained the same over the years. The photography business I have been doing in these grounds has enabled me to put my children through school and now I am even thinking of retiring” he chuckles.

He remembers when families would always come over the weekend dressed in their “Sunday best” having picnics before taking family portraits.

Mr. Kuria narrates how while strolling next to the Lions Garden late last month, he was met with the sight of stalls being erected in the gardens.

A section of the Lions Garden where the stalls are being constructed.

Photo credit: Bret Sanya/Mtaa Wangu

“Ever since President’s Moi regime, there have always been attempts to grab the land where the garden sits on. The ploy has always been the same, it always starts with it being an initiative of rehabilitating the park and they then put temporary structures around the park, in the process, it transforms into something else. Between 2014- 2017 we had a similar issue when some individuals attempted to grab the land. We came out to condemn the issue and clashed with some of the leaders at the time,” he narrates.

Mr Kuria concludes by saying that the status quo of that establishment should be maintained seeing that it is very monumental for the residents of Nakuru.

The Trusted Society of Human Rights Alliance has taken the Nakuru County Government to the Environment and Land Court over the construction of stalls in the recreational space.

The case will be mentioned on 17^th September 2024.

Upgrade of Lions garden goes on, in the wake of two court cases

Author Spotlight

Bret Sanya