Kisumu County on Wednesday officially opened the Baby Pendo Botanical Park in honour of Samantha Pendo, widely known as Baby Pendo, the six-month-old infant whose death during the police crackdown that followed the disputed 2017 presidential election became a symbol of the campaign against police brutality.
The botanical park, developed on the site of the former Kachok dumpsite, was unveiled by Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o and Principal Secretary for Housing and Urban Development Charles Hinga.
County officials said the park is intended to preserve the memory of Baby Pendo while providing residents with a public recreational space and reinforcing calls for peace, justice and accountability.
Baby Samantha Pendo's parents, Joseph Abanja and Lencer Achieng, during the official launch of Baby Pendo Park in Kisumu on July 8, 2026.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation Media Group
Baby Pendo died after sustaining severe head injuries during a police operation at her family’s home in Kilo Estate, Nyalenda, in August 2017. Her death drew national and international attention and became one of the most prominent cases linked to allegations of excessive force by security officers during the post-election unrest.
Nine years later, her parents, Lencer Achieng and Joseph Abanja, joined county leaders, government officials and residents at the launch, describing the memorial as an important step in preserving their daughter’s legacy.
Addressing the gathering, Ms Achieng said the park represented more than a place of recreation, saying it embodied remembrance, healing and hope for families affected by violence.
“Baby Pendo was an innocent child whose only crime was being born at a time when conflict and the excessive use of force overshadowed the value of human life,” she said.
She said her daughter’s death had become a painful reminder of the consequences of violence and police brutality but expressed hope that the memorial would inspire reconciliation and a commitment to protect children.
“While nothing can bring my daughter back, occasions like this give 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 such a tragedy should never happen to another mother,” she said.
Ms Achieng thanked the Kisumu County Government, Governor Nyong’o, Mr Hinga and members of the community for honouring her daughter’s memory.
She appealed to leaders to extend similar support to other families that have lost children through violence and urged Kenyans to embrace dialogue instead of conflict.
“I was devastated because I only enjoyed my baby for six months, but 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.
Ms Achieng also asked the county government to allow her to help manage the botanical park, saying caring for it would enable her to remain connected to her daughter’s memory.
She further appealed to Kenyans to support the Baby Pendo Foundation, which seeks to promote peaceful coexistence, strengthen trust between communities and State institutions, advocate justice and accountability, and protect the rights and dignity of children.
Lencer Achieng, the mother of Baby Samantha Pendo, during the official launch of Baby Pendo Park in Kisumu on July 8, 2026.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation Media Group
Governor Nyong’o said the transformation of the former Kachok dumpsite into a botanical park reflected Kisumu’s broader urban renewal programme and demonstrated how public spaces could be reclaimed for community use.
He said naming the park after Baby Pendo was intended to ensure that the country did not forget one of the darkest moments in its recent history.
“Baby Pendo Botanical Park is more than a park. It is evidence that decline need not be permanent,” the governor said.
“Some have asked why we chose to name it after Baby Samantha Pendo. The answer is simple. A society must remember honestly if it wishes to move forward honestly.”
He said Baby Pendo’s death challenged Kenyans to confront difficult questions about justice, accountability and the protection of human dignity.
“She neither voted nor belonged to any political party, yet her death compelled the country to confront uncomfortable questions about the relationship between politics, justice and human dignity,” he said.
The governor said the park should serve as a place where future generations learn from the past while embracing peaceful coexistence.
“We 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,” he said.
Mr Hinga welcomed Ms Achieng’s request to help manage the park and pledged to work with the county government to explore ways of supporting the Baby Pendo Foundation.
He said maintaining peace required governments to address unemployment, which he described as one of the biggest threats to social stability.
“The challenge before us is unemployment. If we fail to create jobs and an environment where businesses can thrive, we risk undermining the peace we have worked hard to build.”
Kisumu City Board chairperson Ken Nyangaga said well-maintained public parks were essential urban infrastructure that promoted recreation, environmental conservation and social cohesion.
“A city without well-maintained public spaces loses its soul,” he said.
“By opening this park, Kisumu is affirming that development is not only about roads and buildings but also about memory, beauty, greenery and community life.”
