An image published on Twitter on October 15 is said to show the Ngara roundabout in Nairobi County. This image was also posted by human rights activist and author Boniface Mwangi on October 14, whose tweet contains two images to demonstrate how the Ngara roundabout was transformed.
This is Ngara roundabout BEFORE and AFTER!!!!!
The appointment of major Badi to head NMS was timely. He has transformed Nairobi city in the few months he has been in office. #IsItHappening pic.twitter.com/hPMdEzKpSx
— MARIGIRI🇰🇪 (@Dmarigiri_) October 15, 2020
Leteni maswali watu wangu. Happy to be back at my former work place @GhettoRadio895 to discuss @softiethefilm. l tweeted about the Ngara roundabout for a whole year and it's great to see it was fixed. #SoftieTheFilm https://t.co/2MN1kn51hy pic.twitter.com/4nf39ntJw2
— Boniface Mwangi (@bonifacemwangi) October 14, 2020
Background
There have been recent efforts to revamp Nairobi County, especially in the Central Business District area (CBD). This initiative is run by the government of Kenya through the Nairobi Metropolitan Services. Among the notable projects by NMS has been the facelift on pedestrian pathways along the CBD, which is reported to be a move that would eventually force public service vehicles (matatus) out of CBD.
NMT is already in place in the CBD and currently being rolled out in the Estates. Donholm to Westlands, City Centre to Lang'ata by the Nairobi Railway Station, CBD to Roysambu through Ngara.#worldclasscities
^ TM pic.twitter.com/d8nFDHgKpv
— Nairobi Metropolitan Services, NMS (@NMS_Kenya) September 22, 2020
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko similarly initiated a program set to beautify the city, which included the infamous lion statue.
Is it a lion or a tiger -and is it blind? Nairobians cannot figure out what exactly Nairobi governor Mike Sonko has put up as part of his beautification programme.
It’s a no from Nairobians after Sonko mounts his latest statue https://t.co/DFEp4GesEL pic.twitter.com/3TZDuvI3HF
— Nation Africa (@NationAfrica) March 7, 2019
Governor Sonko’s predecessor Evans Kidero also played his role in the beautification process, with what was popularly known as the ‘Kidero grass’ being among the most memorable projects. Governor Kidero had initiated the planting of grass along the streets of Nairobi shortly before the then US President Barack Obama made his grand visit to Kenya in 2015.
How City Hall awarded contractors tenders worth sh48.9 million for 'Kidero grass' https://t.co/sipyVddtaw pic.twitter.com/xG3ezAkbro
— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) November 9, 2015
Verification
The ‘Kidero grass’ was however not the only project Governor Kidero initiated towards revamping Nairobi. According to a report published by The Standard in January 2016, Governor Kidero set out to launch a rigorous cleaning program in Nairobi City for 45 days. The report reveals that the program would cost Ksh 1million for each of the 45 days. Ngara roundabout is mentioned in the report as one of the areas where the clean-up would take place.
A Google image reverse search reveals that images of the refurbished Ngara roundabout surfaced online in November 2016. The roundabout that was previously filled with trash had been cleaned up, reconstructed and adorned with grass.
Thanks @KideroEvans @CCNairobi for the great job @ Ngara roundabout, w/ @report_taka citizens can make garbage reports directly, talk to us! pic.twitter.com/VGhlDPuyVc
— ReportTaka (@report_taka) November 26, 2016
Verdict
A tweet containing an image that is said to show the Ngara roundabout is TRUE.
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