Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o and Housing PS Charles Hinga launch the Baby Pendo Park in Kisumu /FAITH MATETE
Nearly a decade after the death of six-month-old Samantha Pendo shocked the nation, her memory now lives on in a vibrant botanical park where children will play, families will gather and a city hopes to turn pain into hope.
The Baby Pendo Botanical Park was officially commissioned on Wednesday by the Principal Secretary for the State Department for Housing and Urban Development Charles Hinga at the reclaimed Kachok dumpsite in Kisumu county, marking a significant milestone in the city's urban renewal programme.
The event was attended by Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o, Baby Pendo's parents, county officials, development partners and residents who gathered to witness the opening of the public recreational facility.
Built on what was once one of Kisumu's largest dumpsites near Mega City, the park has transformed a degraded landscape into a botanical green space complete with landscaped gardens, walking paths and open recreational grounds.
Nyong'o described the park as more than just a recreational facility, saying it represents the possibility of transforming tragedy into hope.
"Baby Pendo Botanical Park is more than a park. It is evidence that decline need not be permanent," he said.
Explaining why the park bears Baby Pendo's name, the governor said societies must remember painful moments honestly if they are to move forward.
"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.
The governor added that they honour her not by preserving sorrow, but by refusing to waste it.
"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 recalled visiting Baby Pendo's family following her death and witnessing her mother's grief, saying the experience reinforced the need for governments to protect the dignity, rights and lives of every citizen.
He said the park should remain a constant reminder that justice, peace and respect for human life must always prevail, adding that both the national and county governments have a constitutional duty to work together in improving the lives of Kenyans.
The governor also thanked the national government and development partners for supporting Kisumu's urban renewal projects, saying collaboration remains key to building inclusive and resilient cities.
For Baby Pendo's mother, the commissioning was an emotional moment as she reflected on the loss that changed her life forever.
Standing before the gathering, she said she spoke not only as a bereaved mother but also as a Kenyan who still believes in justice, healing and hope.
"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 her daughter's death as a painful reminder of the devastating consequences of violence and police brutality, adding that although nothing could bring her child back, the park had given new meaning to her memory.
"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 said.
She thanked the Kisumu government, the national government, development partners, civil society organisations, human rights defenders, faith leaders and everyone who had stood with the family throughout their long search for justice.
The grieving mother also appealed to Kenyans to support the Baby Pendo Foundation, saying it seeks to promote peaceful coexistence, strengthen trust between communities and state institutions, advocate for justice and accountability and protect the rights and dignity of every child.
"Together we can transform our pain into purpose and build a future where dialogue triumphs over violence. Let Baby Pendo's legacy unite us rather than divide us," she said.
She further appealed to Nyong'o to allow Baby Pendo's family to manage the park, saying it would help them preserve their daughter's memory and remain connected to the place built in her honour.
Holding back tears, she said she only got to enjoy her daughter for six months before her life was cut short.
"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," she said.
The Principal Secretary described Kisumu as a model of peace and stability whose progress should not be taken for granted.
He said the city had become an example of how strategic investment in green infrastructure can restore degraded spaces while improving the quality of life for residents.
The Baby Pendo Botanical Park forms part of the county government's efforts to reclaim degraded land through nature-based solutions aimed at enhancing climate resilience and expanding public green spaces.
Beyond recreation, the facility also serves as a centre for environmental education and community engagement, hosting tree-planting activities, mental health awareness programmes and World Environment Day celebrations.
For Baby Pendo's family, the park stands as a lasting tribute to a life cut short, ensuring her name will forever be associated not only with a painful chapter in Kenya's history, but also with hope, healing and a renewed commitment to protecting every child's right to life.
