Kisumu transforms infamous Kachok dumpsite into Baby Pendo Botanical Park

The Kisumu County Government has officially unveiled a new botanical park to honour Baby Samantha Pendo, an infant who was shot dead by police officers during the 2017 post-election violence. The public recreational area establishes a permanent sanctuary in remembrance of the six-month-old minor, who lost her life in Nyalenda.

The commissioning ceremony was presided over by the Principal Secretary for the State Department for Housing and Urban Development Charles Hinga, alongside Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o. The event was attended by the parents of the deceased child, Lencer Achieng and her husband, who participated in the unveiling of the memorial plaque.

The newly constructed facility sits on the grounds of the former Kachok dumpsite, an eight-acre plot located less than two kilometres from the central business district. For more than 35 years, the location served as the primary solid waste disposal zone for the city, remaining an environmental threat that was continuously choking in filth, overflowing garbage, and foul odours.

According to county officials, the decision to reclaim the degraded urban landscape and establish the Baby Pendo Botanical Park represents both a moral statement and an environmental intervention. The transformation forms part of a wider urban renewal programme driven by nature-based solutions, which are aimed at enhancing climate resilience and expanding safe public spaces.

Speaking during the launch, Governor Nyong'o shared memories of visiting the family home in Nyalenda on the fateful day the minor was killed, noting that he found the infant breastfeeding in her mother's arms after being shot. He stated that naming the public park after her ensures future generations remember the heavy cost of civil conflict, effectively transforming a site of urban decline into a symbol of human dignity.

The grieving mother, Lencer Achieng, addressed the gathered residents, stating that the public facility gives new meaning to her daughter's memory by serving as a collective promise against police brutality. She appealed for continued support towards the Baby Pendo Foundation, which seeks to promote peaceful coexistence, strengthen trust between local communities and state institutions, and safeguard the rights of children.

The engineering and landscaping works have completely rehabilitated the former quarry mine, replacing mountains of municipal waste with modern green spaces, landscaped gardens, pedestrian walking paths, and open recreational grounds. Beyond its primary role as a public park where local families can relax, the facility will function as a dedicated community hub for environmental education, hosting tree-planting activities and mental health awareness programmes.

National government representatives noted that strategic investments in green infrastructure are essential for restoring degraded municipal spaces while improving the overall quality of life for urban residents. The project reflects a broader commitment by both levels of government to invest in public parks, non-motorised transport corridors, and modern civil infrastructure that restores dignity to citizens.

Governor Nyong'o emphasised that the choice of location was deliberate, aiming to show that decline need not be permanent. He reiterated that the memorial stands as a constant reminder that every citizen deserves equal protection under the law, ensuring that a space once defined by neglect is turned into one symbolising hope and reconciliation.