A keener look around the surrounding, one observes that half of the park is fenced off and there is ongoing construction.
In the next one year, this park may be no more because it is set to house a Uganda Electricity Transmission Company (UETCL) substation and offices.
And like many parks that disappeared in Kampala, Mukasa might have to find another place for his nap. “I think we have become so many people in town and government doesn’t see the use of these parks,” he told me.
When The Observer put this issue to Peter Kaujju, the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) publicist, he said: “We have very few remaining public open areas in the city. We are working hard to protect those few remaining and keep them for that particular purpose.”
“The Constitution square, Children’s park in Kamwokya, Jubilee park (Sheraton gardens), Nakawa public park, and Centenary park should all be freely accessible by the public. We are already carrying out maintenance on some for public use.”
Even some of those he calls ‘remaining parks’ are enclosed and therefore hard to access or don’t meet the basic requirements for them to be called parks.
Centenary park, which is amidst bitter fight between KCCA officials and businesswoman Sarah Kizito, is too noisy for anyone to think of it as a resting place.
Besides environmental benefits, public parks in towns make cities livable, improve air quality, and become less alienating, according to various studies.
According to Green Ribbon, an online journal on green spaces, public parks in towns indirectly impact the happiness of whoever goes there.
Amanda Ngabirano, an urban planner, said: “Open spaces and public parks are good in cities as resting places but also aesthetics. Parks are supposed to bring people together no matter their age and social status.”
For Uganda, Amanda said, it will take strong leadership and sensitization to recover the lost parks and have new ones in place. Notable is that most parks in government hands are in ruins. Most lack water, areas of convenience and are litter-laden.
There are no notable effort to sensitize the public about their existence and use. Those in private hands like Sheraton gardens are well-maintained and fit the description of a public park. The problem is that the public is not aware they are open for them to use.
The Observer took a tour of some of the parks in town to ascertain their state and where one can spend time off the flurry of the city.
JUBILEE PARK (SHERATON GARDENS)
By far, Jubilee park (Sheraton gardens) is the best-kept park. It has litterbins, a well-maintained lawn, tap water and clean toilets. It has working lights and minimal noise compared to other parks.
When I visited, a few people were lounging in the greens. It has clean seats and is ideal for anyone looking for a time off from push and shove in the city. One of the people I met there noted that while he knew it was an open public park, many of his peers didn’t know.
Indeed, the Speke road entry is always locked but one is allowed to enter when he asks the guard to access the park.
People can also enter through the main gate to the hotel. While it is open and anyone can go there, many people stay away because they think it is only those who come to the hotel around to visit.
The fence around it also keeps people away. Kaujju also weighed in on the issue: “Sheraton gardens is one of those parks we are working hard to keep open. It is a public property although many people mistake it to belong to the hotel.”
KATWE PLAYGROUND
This park, situated in Katwe between the railway line and Queen’s Way, is practically no more. When I visited it, the northern part looked like a cows’ path with hardly any grass on it.
Meanwhile, a huge area has been turned into a taxi park. The southern part where people used to play football is no more.
Instead, KCCA put there heaps for flower mounds but we found overgrown grass. It simply no longer exists.
Last year, the Non-Communicable Disease Information & Control Centre and HealthBridge released a report describing this park as “unattractive with loud traffic sound, dotted with litter.”
KAMWOKYA CHILDREN’S PARK
This is the space in Kamwokya between the British Council and the Café Javas behind City Oil petrol station.
After walking around twice searching for the entrance in vain, a security guard at City Oil told me I had to go through the coffee house’s parking to get to the park.
A signpost within the park reads: ‘KCCA property, not for sale.’
The path segment in the park is concrete and in good condition. While it sprawls with greenery and no litter around and has appealing green, I found no single person relaxing there.
The guard told me he rarely sees people go there. This is because accessibility is poor and one can hardly notice it is a public park. It looks more like a private property.
I also learnt that the space used to be a favourite reclining area for students in nearby schools such as Kitante Hill School and Kololo High School before part of it was leased to construct the petrol station.
RAILWAY PARK
This is located just opposite the railways headquarters on Jinja road. Its green cover is intact and a host of people took naps during lunch hour when I visited.
However, the sanitary conditions were poor with tree leaves, numerous plastic bottles and polythene bags littering the area. The toilets did not have running water and litter bins. The noise from taxi touts and passing vehicles may distract your rest.
Its existence is also in doubt because in 2002 city authorities leased part of it to businessman Godfrey Kirumira to construct a shopping mall and KCCA’s efforts to reclaim it was challenged in court.
EQUATORIAL GARDENS PARK
This is located between Watoto church and Hotel Equatorial shopping mall. Heavy traffic, all-round vending and noise from taxi touts dent the place.
A study last year found that non-recreational uses of the park like car parking and advertising boards made this park look imperfect.
When I visited, it was generally clean with no visible litter. There are toilets nearby. It is open and easy to access but one has to be mindful of boda bodas and other vehicles while crossing the busy roads there.
The once famous fountain that took the city authorities more than Shs 700m to build is the shadow of its former self, lacking water and electricity to power it.
PAN AFRICAN SQUARE
It is located around Clock tower between Queen’s Way and Usafi market. Part of the park has been fenced and the construction of the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company substation.
At the time of the visit, women from Usafi market used the place to sort their merchandise before they cross to place them on the stalls.
The place has no litter bins. The toilets are dirty with water flowing through the entrance. Going by the developments at the place, this park may be extinct within the next two years.
amwesigwa@observer.ug
