Heavy traffic along Mombasa Road. /FILE
Motorists using Mombasa Road should brace for possible traffic disruptions beginning today, Saturday, July 5, following the partial closure of the Nairobi-bound carriageway between FUSO (Simba Colt) and the Southern Bypass Interchange (Ole Sereni).
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) announced that the closure, which will remain in effect until Saturday, July 12, is to facilitate essential highway maintenance works along the busy A8 Road corridor.
In a public notice issued on June 28, KeNHA Director General Eng Kungu Ndung’u urged road users to exercise caution around the repair zone and follow traffic management directions issued by on-site officers and marshals.
During this period, heavy vehicles exceeding 3.5 tonnes and motorists headed to the Southern Bypass will be diverted to exit the main highway at the Kyang’ombe Slip Road through Old Mombasa Road.
Other vehicles will use a single traffic lane provided along the affected stretch.
The closure is likely to result in increased congestion, especially during peak hours, along the Nairobi-bound lanes of Mombasa Road.
KeNHA has encouraged road users to plan their journeys in advance and remain alert to diversions and guidance from traffic police.
Additionally, Nairobi motorists should note that major roads in the city will be closed this Sunday, July 6, to facilitate the Nairobi City Marathon.
Several key routes will be closed to vehicular traffic from 10pm Saturday night through Sunday afternoon.
The affected routes include sections of Mombasa Road, Uhuru Highway, Waiyaki Way, and Museum Hill Interchange.
The Nairobi Expressway, a major artery connecting James Gichuru to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), will be closed in both directions from 10pm Saturday until 3pm on Sunday.
This is expected to have a significant impact on airport-bound travellers, who are advised to make alternative arrangements or allow for extra travel time.
From midnight on Sunday, the inner lanes of Waiyaki Way, stretching from Musa Gitau Road to the Expressway entrance, will remain closed until 10am.
Additionally, the crossing at Mombasa Road and the Southern Bypass Likoni Road will be inaccessible from midnight until 11am, with all roundabouts, exits, and entries towards town sealed off.
Uhuru Highway, a central thoroughfare in Nairobi, will be closed from midnight until 2pm on Sunday.
The closure affects the stretch between the Southern Bypass and Langata Roundabout, as well as between Bunyala Roundabout and Kenyatta Avenue.
Kenyatta Avenue itself will be closed from midnight until 4pm, specifically between the PanAfric Hotel and Uhuru Highway.
Several critical junctions and connecting roads—including University Way, Haile Selassie Avenue, Bunyala Road, Capital Centre, Popo Road, and Kapiti Road—will be closed for the duration of the event.
Authorities have urged the public to familiarise themselves with alternative routes to avoid delays.
Roads such as Thika Road, Raila Odinga Road, Lusaka Road, Langata Road, and the Southern Bypass will remain open, offering alternative routes for motorists.
