Nairobi Marathon 2026: Southern bypass to close, motorists warned of diversions

Motorists in Nairobi should expect traffic disruptions on Sunday, October 25, as police implement road closures and diversions for the 2026 Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon.

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has announced the temporary closure of the Southern Bypass between Ole Sereni Interchange and Kikuyu Town from midnight on Saturday, October 24, until 2pm on Sunday.

Nairobi County Traffic Commandant Joseph Chirchir said about 30,000 participants, including 1,000 international runners, were expected to take part in the race, prompting the deployment of police officers and traffic marshals to manage traffic and protect participants.

“We have about 30,000 participants, 1,000 of them being foreigners. Due to this, we will temporarily close the Southern Bypass and we will make several diversions,” Chirchir said.

Motorists arriving from Mombasa will be diverted at Ole Sereni towards the city centre, while those travelling from the Inland Container Depot will be directed onto Mombasa Road towards the Central Business District.

Drivers approaching from Western Kenya through the Kikuyu Bypass will be diverted to James Gichuru Road. Motorists from Lang’ata will use Lang’ata Road, while those travelling from Karen will be directed through Dagoretti and Ngong roads.

Chirchir urged organisers to ensure the race starts on time to allow roads to reopen as early as possible.

He said the affected roads were expected to reopen by 2pm, subject to traffic management arrangements.

David Mwindi, chairperson of the Marathon Local Organizing Committee, said preparations had been underway for nine months and were ahead of schedule. He added that medical teams had been put in place to respond to emergencies during the event.

“We have been preparing for the past nine months, and we are ahead of schedule. We learned from last year, and we have a medical team in place,” Mwindi said.

Motorists have been advised to plan their journeys in advance, follow instructions from police officers and traffic marshals, and use the designated alternative routes.