Brace for traffic jams as Nairobi hosts summit

Major roads will be closed for five days from Thursday as Nairobi hosts the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development.

Police say they expect more than 30 heads of state in Nairobi and hence the disruptions that will affect Mombasa Road and Uhuru Highway. Parliament Road, Taifa Road, City Hall Way and parts of Harambee Avenue will be closed from August 25 to 29, officials said. Road blocks will be mounted there for searches.

Nairobi police boss Japheth Koome said they had received 400 more officers to help control traffic flow.

He urged road users to plan their days well.

“There will be disruptions as the VIPs will be moved from one place to the other. This includes hotels, airport and KICC and we urge for co-operation from motorists,” he said.

Security will be tightened in the targeted places and some pedestrians will not be allowed there. 

Traffic police will direct motorists and only cars and authorised personnel with official accreditation will be allowed in these areas.

Koome, who addressed the media in the company of traffic boss Leonard Katana, said Uhuru Park will be used as the assembly point in case of emergency.

According to Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed, 4,000 Japanese delegates have confirmed attendance and 100 Japanese companies have also confirmed they will exhibiting at the event.

In total, the Government expects approximately 10,000 visitors for the summit. All hotels where delegates will be staying will be guarded by police and day visits to those hotels may be interrupted.

At least 67 hotels in and around Nairobi have been booked for the event and delegates will be taken and picked from there, meaning traffic flow may be affected.