All roads lead to the 12th Standard Chartered Marathon as 25000 set to participate

Athletes compete during the 2013 Standard Chartered Nairobi International Marathon.PHOTO:BONIFACE OKENDO

Security will be stepped up when the 12th Standard Chartered International Marathon gets underway on Sunday.

Most of the roads leading to the city centre, especially along the designated marathon course, will be closed between 10pm tomorrow and 1pm on Sunday.

The affected roads include sections of Mombasa Road, Uhuru Highway, Upper Hill and Forest Road. In the City Centre, Kenyatta Avenue and sections of Haile Selassie and University Way will remain closed until 11.30am.

There will be traffic diversions starting tomorrow at 11pm, where motorists from Mombasa Road to City Centre will be diverted at Lusaka Road Roundabout through Lang’ata Road, Madaraka Roundabout (South C and Aerodrome Road; among other diversions.
On Sunday, all main roads to city centre will be diverted from 4am.

Diversion starts from Westlands, Parklands, Hurlingham, Kileleshwa, Nairobi Hill, Lang’ata, Karen and Embakasi.
Traffic to and out of the city will be diverted through Industrial Area, Jogoo Road, Landhies Road, Globe Cinema roundabout, James Gichuru and Mbagathi Way.

The roads that will remain closed include Uhuru Highway, Haile Selassie Avenue, Kenyatta Avenue, Harambee Avenue, Mombasa Road up to Enterprise Road and part of Lang’ata Road.

Benson Kibue, the Nairobi County Police Commander, said security arrangements have been made to enhance public security.

“We can assure everybody that we are well prepared. We will have the air surveillance and we will have a special unit from the General Service Unit (GSU) to guard against any terrorism attempts. Our National Intelligence Service are also doing well and we will take no chances,” Kibue said at a press briefing at The Stanley in Nairobi yesterday.

He added: “Other police units will be deployed. We are fully prepared and we will use all resources available to guarantee security.”

He was flanked by Chief Inspector John Wainaina (National Youth Service), Chief Inspector Edward Ndirangu (Administration Police), Senior Superintendent Peter Ndung’u (deputy traffic commander, Nairobi), Supt Titus Mutune and Chief Inspector Nicholas Chelulut of GSU headquarters.

Ndung’u, deputy County traffic chief, said they will erect barriers and reflective signs showing diversions along the roads.