Nairobi Hosts Successful City Marathon Amid Road Closures and High Turnout
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By Miguel Ndiritu
Nairobi came alive on Sunday, July 6, as over 15,000 local and international runners took part in the fourth edition of the City Marathon, themed “I Love Nairobi.” .
The event, which featured a full marathon, half-marathon, 10km Expressway Run, and a 4km fun run, marked a change in venue with all races starting and finishing at Uhuru Park—shifting from the usual Nyayo Stadium setting.
Top athletes, including Paul Lonyangata and Edward Cheserek, headlined the competition, with the winners of the 42km race walking away with a record KSh 3.5 million—cementing the marathon’s place as the most lucrative in Africa.
In preparation for the event, the Nairobi County Government and traffic police implemented major road closures from Saturday night through Sunday afternoon.
Roads affected included the Nairobi Expressway (from James Gichuru to JKIA), sections of Waiyaki Way, Uhuru Highway, Kenyatta Avenue, Aerodrome Road, Mombasa Road, Southern Bypass, and key CBD routes such as University Way, City Hall Way, and Parliament Road.
The Expressway was particularly impacted, prompting early travel advisories for airport-bound travelers.
Motorists were advised to use alternative routes including Ngong Road, Thika Road, Lang’ata Road, and Raila Odinga Way. Despite the extensive closures, traffic flow in unaffected areas remained relatively stable, thanks to prior public notices and the cooperation of road users.
The races kicked off smoothly, with the full marathon beginning at 6:45 a.m., followed by the half marathon at 8:15 a.m., the 10km race at 10:00 a.m., and the 4km fun run at 11:00 a.m.
Organizers praised the public and volunteers for their cooperation, which helped ensure the event proceeded without major incident.
City Marathon organizers expressed satisfaction with the high turnout and smooth execution, noting that the event not only promoted fitness and tourism but also demonstrated Nairobi’s capacity to host large-scale international sporting events.
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