CHAN: Police Announce Closure of 3 Major Roads Ahead of Harambee Stars Game on Thursday
- Ahead of Harambee Stars' CHAN football match against Angola, the city traffic seniors have announced the closure of three major roads
- Part of Mombasa and Langata Roads will be inaccessible on Thursday, August 7, with police giving motorists alternatives
- Roads around Nyayo Stadium will also be affected, as DR Congo will be facing Zambia at the venue starting at 4pm
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Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over four years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Nairobi - The National Police Service has issued traffic guidelines ahead of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) football matches.
Source: Getty Images
In a notice to newsrooms, Nairobi Traffic Commandant Joseph Chirchir said three major roads will be closed on Thursday, August 7.
CHAN 2024: Which major roads will be closed on Thursday, August 7?
Harambee Stars will be playing against Angola at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, starting at 7pm.
According to Chirchir, the Aerodrome Road will be closed from the Madaraka Roundabout up to the Bunyala Roundabout.
Motorists using Lang'ata Road will be affected, as it will be closed on one side from the Madaraka Roundabout to the Lusaka Roundabout.
Kenyans using Mombasa Road will also be affected, as the busy road will be closed from Lusaka Roundabout to Bunyala Roundabout.
The traffic boss has urged motorists from Mombasa Road going to CBD to use Likoni- Enterprise Road at General Motors and the Southern Bypass at Olesereni
Motorists from Langata Road to CBD have been urged to use Raila Odinga Road or Muhoho Road at Mbagathi Roundabout.
Will motorists using Thika Road be affected?
Those motorists from Nairobi CBD to Thika Road-Ruiru-Juja-Thika will be required to use Limuru or Kiambu Road.
The traffic boss also urged Public Service Vehicles (PSV) transporting passengers to Kasarani to use Ruaraka Baba-Dogo Road.
Meanwhile, motorists from Thika Road towards CBD will be required to use either the Eastern Bypass, Kiambu Road or Limuru Road.
Additionally, the traffic chief said that on Thursday, August 7, motorists should avoid Thika Road unless heading to Kasarani Stadium for the Harambee Stars game.
Avoid Thika Road unless travelling to the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani Stadium.
The National Police Service is working collaboratively with relevant agencies to ensure the free flow of traffic. Additional police officers have been deployed and will take stern action against anyone violating traffic rules," read a police statement in part.
Source: Getty Images
Should Kenyans expect traffic disruptions during the CHAN tournament?
In a related development, the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) also issued a public travel advisory to passengers accessing the airports within Nairobi.
In the notice, KAA said passengers travelling to and from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and Wilson Airport should expect major traffic disruptions.
According to the authority, the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN) will contribute to the disruptions in the traffic flow.
KAA told its customers that major roads within and around the city will be fully closed or partially closed because of the security measures for the ongoing 2024 CHAN tournament.
President William Ruto lauded the refurbished Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani, inspected in preparation for hosting CHAN Group A fixtures (including Harambee Stars matches) and the final on August 30, 2025.
The stadium's upgrades ensure compliance with CAF and FIFA standards for CHAN 2024 and AFCON 2027.
How did Kenyans react to closure of roads?
A section of Kenyans trooped to social media pages to express mixed reactions following the traffic update from the police.
Some questioned why the police failed to indicate the specific timelines within which the roads would be closed and reopened.
Kinuthia Pius said:
Indicate time of closure. It can't be the whole day
Simiyu Nalianya said:
While this is important, why close roads on weekdays and fail to mention the time? The same board is the one that proposed fencing of roads on 7.7?
The law enforcers also faced criticism for choosing to close the key roads on a weekday for a 90-minute event, which they argued could go on without traffic disruption.
Robert Murangiri said:
Closing roads is not a good strategy, it will create traffic chaos and inconvenience. The best arrangement would be to have sufficient number of traffic policemen on the road to ensure there are no obstructions and traffic flow is smooth
However, the police argued that the closure of the roads was necessary to guarantee all football stakeholders across the continent the requisite security that meets the standards set by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
