Nearly nine years after the death of six-month-old Samantha Pendo became one of Kenya’s most painful reminders of post-election violence, her name now marks a place filled with trees, gardens and children’s laughter instead of grief.
On Wednesday, the national and Kisumu county governments officially opened the Baby Pendo Botanical Park, a public green space built on the reclaimed Kachok dumpsite in Kisumu. The park, commissioned by Housing and Urban Development Principal Secretary Charles Hinga, is intended to honour the infant’s memory while giving residents a place for recreation, learning and reflection.
The ceremony brought together Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o, Baby Pendo’s parents, county officials, development partners and members of the public.
Where piles of waste once dominated the landscape, visitors will now find landscaped gardens, walking trails and open spaces designed for families and community activities. The project forms part of Kisumu’s wider effort to restore degraded land and expand public green spaces.
Governor Nyong’o said the park carries a meaning that goes far beyond recreation.
“Baby Pendo Botanical Park is more than a park. It is evidence that decline need not be permanent,” he said.
He said naming the park after Baby Pendo was a deliberate decision to ensure the country does not forget the human cost of political violence.
“Baby Pendo was only six months old when she lost her life through violence that should never have occurred. She never voted. She never belonged to any political party. Yet her death compelled the country to confront uncomfortable questions about the relationship between politics, justice and human dignity,” Nyong’o said.
He added that the best way to honour her memory is by creating something that serves future generations.
“Every child who plays here, every student who learns here and every family that finds rest here will know that something beautiful was deliberately created where something tragic once occurred.”
Nyong’o also recalled visiting Baby Pendo’s family after her death, saying the experience reinforced the responsibility of governments to protect every citizen’s dignity and right to life. He urged continued cooperation between the national and county governments in improving public spaces and services.
For Baby Pendo’s mother, the opening of the park was both emotional and deeply personal.
Addressing the gathering, she said she spoke not only as a grieving parent but also as a Kenyan who still believes justice and healing are possible.
“Baby Pendo’s life was tragically cut short during the violence that followed the 2017 elections. She was an innocent child whose only crime was being born at a time when conflict and excessive use of force overshadowed the value of human life,” she said.
She described the park as a lasting reminder of the need to reject violence and protect future generations.
“This park is more than a place of recreation. It is a symbol of remembrance, healing, accountability and our collective promise that never again should such a tragedy happen to another mother.”
She thanked the county and national governments, development partners, civil society groups, faith leaders and human rights organisations for standing with the family during their search for justice.
The grieving mother also appealed for support for the Baby Pendo Foundation, which seeks to promote peaceful coexistence, strengthen trust between communities and public institutions, and advocate for children’s rights and accountability.
She further asked the Kisumu County Government to allow the family to manage the park, saying it would help preserve their daughter’s legacy.
Holding back tears, she reflected on the brief time she had with her child.
“I only enjoyed my baby for six months. I never got to see her grow up. May no mother ever go through what I went through. May peace be with us all.”
Principal Secretary Charles Hinga said Kisumu has become an example of how investment in green spaces can improve urban life while restoring damaged environments.
Beyond offering residents a recreational area, the Baby Pendo Botanical Park will host environmental education programmes, tree-planting activities, mental health awareness events and community initiatives aimed at strengthening social cohesion.
For Baby Pendo’s family, the park is more than a memorial. It is a place where one of Kenya’s darkest chapters is remembered through a renewed commitment to peace, justice and the protection of every child’s right to life.
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