Nairobi City County is planning to replace the existing Sunken Park parking lot in the Central Business District (CBD) with a multi-storey facility that will accommodate 3,800 vehicles.
The proposed mobility hub is expected to handle about 5,700 vehicles daily, a significant increase from the current parking lot, which has a capacity of only 240 vehicles.
According to the Kenya Public Private Partnership (PPP) Projects Progress and Status Report dated September 30, the project’s concept note was approved on September 8, paving the way for a feasibility study before the procurement process begins.
The facility will be built at the junction of Taifa Road and Harambee Avenue under a public-private partnership arrangement.
“The project entails the redevelopment of the Sunken Park, located at the junction of Taifa Road and Harambee Avenue, into a modern, high-capacity Multi-Use Storey Mobility Hub under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework,” the report stated.
The project is intended to address the shortage of organised parking in the city centre, reduce traffic congestion and improve the use of public land.
The PPP Directorate said the project would be procured through a competitive bidding process. However, the estimated cost of the development has not yet been determined.
Earlier Plans for Sunken Park
Plans to redevelop Sunken Park into an underground parking facility were first announced in March 2021 by former Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) Director General Mohammed Badi.
At the time, NMS also proposed converting Machakos Bus Station into an underground parking facility to increase the number of available parking spaces in the city.
Badi said the proposed facilities would draw inspiration from the underground parking at Holy Family Basilica, with payments managed digitally through mobile money.
The latest proposal comes as motorists continue to face challenges finding parking in the CBD, amid beautification works and the expansion of pedestrian walkways.
Nairobi Parking Fees Under Scrutiny
The redevelopment plans also come amid concerns over the cost of parking in Nairobi.
In July, Governor Johnson Sakaja dismissed reports that daily CBD parking fees had increased from Ksh300 to Ksh535.
Sakaja clarified that the Ksh535 figure in the county’s 2025–2030 tariffs policy represented the average cost of providing parking services and was not an approved parking charge.
He added that any increase in parking fees would require public participation and approval through the annual Finance Act.
The Sunken Park project is part of wider plans to improve transport and make better use of land in Nairobi’s CBD.
Other proposed developments include the Ksh30 billion Nairobi Railway City project by Kenya Railways, which will cover 438 acres and feature integrated transport facilities, commercial developments, housing and public spaces.
