US President Barack Obama visit felt on land, sea and air

Kenyan authorities say security arrangements for the two-day visit of US President Barack Obama are complete ahead of his arrival tomorrow.

The US navy is on standby near the Kenyan waters in the Indian Ocean, while the Kenya Defence Forces and the National Police Service are in charge of the border with Somalia and internal security respectively.

The airspace above Kenya and Somalia is being heavily monitored by the US military whose specially adapted drones flying out of Camp Lemonnier, the US Naval Expeditionary Base in Djibouti, regularly provide logistical air support to the African Union Mission troops fighting Al-Shabaab terrorists in Somalia.

A high-tech US spy plane is already flying unseen thousands of feet above the city, supplying streams of communication for monitoring by the US National Security Agency, while decoys of the official US presidential limousine, known as ‘The Beast’, and support vehicles were seen being fuelled at a Shell petrol station in Nairobi’s Westlands.

Kenya’s police have scrambled 10,000 officers to be on duty in Nairobi, securing venues and controlling crowds and traffic alongside the US security personnel and Secret Service agents guarding the US leader.

“We wish to confirm that all security arrangements are in place. The security arrangements put in place for the summit will affect normal life in some parts of the city and we therefore call on the public to cooperate with the police to give the event and our visitors a conducive and homely environment,” Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinett said last evening.

Today, State House spokesman Manoah Esipisu, Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed and US Ambassador Robert Godec will brief the media at Harambee House ahead of tomorrow evening’s arrival of President Obama.

As a sign of the tight security, access to venues where the US leader is expected is restricted by security personnel who were turning away unauthorised persons yesterday.

Final touches were going on at the venues with the guards and other workers giving the stock response to queries: “Please speak to the US Embassy.”

To access the indoor arena at the Safaricom Stadium in Kasarani on the Thika highway, where President Obama will give a speech, one needs special accreditation from the US Embassy. “There is a lot of cleaning-up going on inside, including installation of new seats and other activities, but I cannot allow you in,” said a guard with finality.

“You know the sensitivity of the visit is such that we cannot allow you inside,” said another security official at Kasarani.

The road leading to the UN complex in Gigiri is almost impenetrable, with US marines and security officials thoroughly screening all visitors.

At the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, taxi operators said they had been told to move away from the control tower and zones near arrivals and departures.

“We have been told that as part of the security measures, we have to vacate from the immediate vicinity of arrivals and departures,” a taxi operator told The Standard.

Security at the airport was being handled by US security personnel in close collaboration with their Kenyan counterparts. JKIA and Wilson airports will be closed to all airlines on Friday as from 7.45p.m. to 8.35p.m. and on Sunday as from 5.05p.m. to 5.45p.m.

The Kenyan firefighter engines and fuel tanks were replaced with those provided by the Americans.

Normally, flights are restricted whenever a US president is expected to use an airport. All terminals are expected to be closed for operations for specific hours prior to his arrival. At the International School of Kenya, where journalists and other delegates were picking accreditation badges, one had to undergo three security checks before they could be allowed in. Yesterday, six vehicles that will be part of President Obama’s motorcade did a reconnaissance of the capital’s roads ahead of his visit.

One of the six cars that will be part of President Obama’s motorcade that did a reconnaissance of the capital’s roads ahead of his visit. (PHOTO: COURTESY)

Direct flights

From JKIA, the convoy with Kenyan security escorts drove through Mombasa Road, Uhuru Highway, Waiyaki Way to Gigiri, the venue of the summit.

Police said  major roads will be closed to traffic hours ahead of scheduled use by the US leader’s motorcade.

Nairobi Police Commander Benson Kibue said Mombasa Road, Uhuru Highway and Waiyaki Way will be no-go zones for motorists, cyclists and riders from 2pm tomorrow.

Waiyaki Way, Museum Hill, Limuru and Chiromo roads will also be inaccessible on Saturday as the US president and other dignitaries head to the UN headquarters for the GES. Roads near the 1998 bomb blast site may also be affected on Saturday afternoon. On Sunday, Thika Road will be affected as Obama will be at Kasarani International Stadium and Kenyatta University in the afternoon.

At Kenyatta University, an official told The Standard that the details of the US President’s visit are still unavailable to the university authorities.

Constant Wakoli one of the exhibitors who will participate in Global Entrepreneurship summit shows a portrait of people taking local brew at KICC. (BEVERLYNE MUSILI)

The President is expected to address trainees at the Young African Leadership Centre at the Chandaria Business and Innovation Incubation Centre. Already, US marines have made a reconnaissance of the venue.

According to information from the military, the Kenya-Somalia border remains open.

“It’s now being manned by the Somali National Army in the Somalia side while the Kenyan side is secured by KDF and men from the AP’s Rural Border Patrol Unit and GSU,” said the source who is based at an entry point to Kenya from Somalia. There are still direct flights to Mogadishu, despite earlier reports that they had been cancelled.