Heavy Traffic as Thika Road Closed, Kenyans Flock Kasarani for Harambee Stars’ CHAN Quarter-Final Match

Heavy Traffic as Thika Road Closed, Kenyans Flock Kasarani for Harambee Stars’ CHAN Quarter-Final Match

Thousands of Nairobi residents endured painful hours in traffic on Friday, August 22, after major roads leading to Kasarani were shut down ahead of Harambee Stars’ historic CHAN quarter-final clash against Madagascar.

Roads Shut, City Stalls

By noon, traffic had already ground to a halt on the Thika Superhighway, the Eastern Bypass, and Kiambu Road. Motorists were forced into long detours as police diverted vehicles far from the stadium.

At the Kamakis interchange, traffic stood still. A similar roadblock at Muthaiga pushed vehicles onto Kiambu Road. The result was chaos, with movement in and out of the CBD paralysed.

Videos shared online showed motorists stranded for hours. Tempers flared as frustrated commuters honked endlessly, while others abandoned their vehicles to walk.

Fans Flock Early

Excited fans began streaming to the stadium hours before the 3 p.m. kickoff. Gates opened at noon, yet thousands arrived earlier, clogging feeder roads. The overwhelming turnout, coupled with road closures, worsened the already dire gridlock.

One commuter, stuck for over two hours, could not hide his anger.

“The roads were closed too early,” he lamented.
“The alternative route was the bypass, and now everyone is stuck in a gridlock.”

Another Nairobi resident echoed the frustration, saying the closures crippled workers trying to reach their jobs.

“The roads should have been closed later in the day, maybe around 1 p.m. Closing them in the morning made it impossible to arrive at work,” he shared.

Government Defends Move

Despite the uproar, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo defended the decision. Speaking in Baba Dogo, one of the newly designated fan zones, Omollo insisted security concerns came first.

“We are saying ‘Tusichome game.’ That is why we closed roads early. We must maintain law and order,” the PS explained.

He further revealed that the government had set up fan parks across the city and the country to ease congestion.

“We have a total of 13 fan zones across Nairobi. We have also created similar viewing spots in other regions so Kenyans who cannot reach Kasarani can still enjoy the game,” Omollo said.

A Nation United

Despite the inconvenience, excitement for the Harambee Stars remained high. For the first time, Kenya reached the CHAN quarter-finals. And while the road closures sparked anger, the unifying power of football kept spirits alive.

ALSO READ: Nairobi Police Warn Motorists of Heavy Traffic Ahead of Kenya vs Madagascar Clash

Heavy Traffic as Thika Road Closed, Kenyans Flock Kasarani for Harambee Stars’ CHAN Quarter-Final Match