Heavy Traffic on Nairobi Roads as Fans Flock Kasarani for Kenya vs Madagascar

Thousands of motorists and commuters were caught in a massive traffic gridlock across several Nairobi roads, including the Thika Superhighway and Eastern Bypass at Kamakis, as football fans flocked to the Moi International Sports Complex, Kasarani.
The Superhighway came to a standstill as early as12 pm as fans headed to the stadium for Kenya’s first-ever CHAN quarter-final match against Madagascar.
The heavy gridlock was largely a result of the early closure of roads leading to the stadium.
Fans, eager to watch the historic game, began flocking to the stadium even before the official noon opening of the gates. This further exacerbated the traffic situation and contributed to the chaos on the roads.
In videos seen byKenyans.co.ke, the Thika Superhighway was the most affected, with traffic coming to a complete halt at the Kamakis intersection with the Eastern Bypass.
Movement to and from Nairobi’s Central Business District was paralysed as the road was closed in both directions.
Commuters voiced their frustration with the government’s decision to close roads early in the morning, hours before the match, which was scheduled for 3pm.
Many complained that themove disrupted their daily commuteand made it difficult to get to work on time.
“The roads were closed too early,” one local lamented. “The alternative route was the bypass, and now everyone is stuck in a gridlock.”
“The roads were closed too early, making it difficult to arrive at work. The roads should have been closed later in the day, say about 1 pm,” another affected commuter shared.
Interior PS Raymond Omollo acknowledged the inconvenience even as he defended the road closures as necessary for public safety and security.
Dr Omollo, who was speaking in Baba Dogo, one of the fan zones across the city, explained that the reason why the roads were closed earlier is to make sure that Kenyans maintain law and order during the game, adding that several fan spots have been set up across the city for fans who cannot make it to Kasarani.
“We are saying‘Tusichome game,’ that is why, we have now set fan spots where Kenyans can now watch the game, like here in Baba Dogo. We havea total of 13 fan zones across the cityand we have also done the same in other parts of the country,” Omollo said.