NAIROBI, Kenya – Motorists in Nairobi have been advised to brace for major traffic disruptions this weekend following the closure of several key roads to facilitate the Nairobi City Marathon.
According to a public notice issued ahead of the event, the road closures will take effect from midnight on Saturday, June 6, 2026, and remain in force until Sunday afternoon, affecting major transport corridors across the city.
Among the roads set to be affected is the Nairobi Expressway, where traffic will be suspended in both directions between James Gichuru Road and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). The closure on the expressway will begin at 10 pm on Saturday and continue until 3 pm on Sunday.
Sections of Waiyaki Way will also be affected, with the inner lanes on both sides of the highway closed between Nairobi School and the entrance to the Nairobi Expressway.
Motorists using Uhuru Highway will face disruptions as both directions between Lusaka Roundabout and Museum Hill will be closed from midnight on Sunday until 4 pm. Kenyatta Avenue will also be inaccessible between Panafric Hotel and Moi Avenue during the same period, while Haile Selassie Avenue will be closed between Cathedral Road and Uhuru Highway.
Other roads expected to be affected include Processional Way, City Hall Way, Simba Street and several adjacent roads within the central business district.
The temporary closures are aimed at providing a safe route for thousands of participants expected to take part in the annual marathon, which has grown into one of the region’s largest road races. Authorities have urged motorists to plan their journeys in advance and use alternative routes to avoid delays, noting that access to the city centre, the airport and several business districts is likely to be affected.
Meanwhile, the 10-kilometre race has emerged as the most popular category in this year’s Nairobi City Marathon, attracting 6,550 of the 17,450 registered participants.
The full marathon (42km) has drawn 1,750 runners, while the half marathon (21km) has attracted 5,050 participants. The 5km Family Fun Run has also recorded strong interest, with 4,100 participants registered.
Athletics Kenya (AK) Competitions Director Kennedy Tanui attributed the growing numbers to the increasing popularity of the 10km race among Nairobi residents.
“The 10km race seems to be the favourite of the City Marathon,” Tanui said.
He also revealed that registration reached capacity within weeks, triggering an automatic closure of the registration system.
“Registration for this year’s race was filled within three weeks. We did not close the application; it is the system that automatically closed registration because we had already attained the target number.”
