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Nairobi police traffic department has released an elaborate road closure diversions ahead of the inaugural Uhuru Classic Nairobi City Marathon as preparations for the race planned for Sunday moved a notch higher.

The affected roads are sections of Mombasa road, Uhuru Highway, Upper Hill and Forest road while within the CBD, Kenyatta Avenue, Muindi Mbingu and sections of Haile Selasie and University Way will also be closed. 

Motorists from Mombasa road heading towards the CBD and Westlands have been advised to use the Southern Bypass or Likoni, Enterprise and Lusaka roads to avoid inconveniences on Uhuru Highway. Traffic to and out of the city will be diverted to alternative roads between 4am and 2pm. 

International standards

Athletics Kenya (AK) president Jackson Tuwei said the course has been certified to international standards so any record broken will be internationally recognised.

The start and finish line for the marathon will be at Nyayo Stadium with the 42km run winding through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Central Business District, ABC Place in Westlands and will see the competitors cover 33km on the Nairobi Expressway and 9km on the rest of the normal city roads.

Tuwei said the full marathon race will start at the Nyayo National Stadium from where athletes will snake through the    Nairobi Expressway all the way to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport turn-off.

The competitors will then exit the Nairobi Expressway and branch off to Haile Selassie Avenue towards the Cooperative House Roundabout before turning left to Moi Avenue.

They will then drop to City Hall Way around Kencom House, onto Taifa Road and then onto Harambee Avenue, Uhuru Highway and back to City Hall Way before they head to Kimathi Street.

The competitors will then turn left to Kenyatta Avenue, branch onto Koinange Street then turn left to Monrovia Street through Muindi Mbingu Street and back to Kenyatta Avenue. 

They will then head to Moi Avenue, and run all the way to University Way roundabout, and back to University Way before hitting the Globe Cinema Roundabout onto Kipande road and Museum Hill roundabout.

Prize money

They will then return to the Nairobi Expressway and run all the way to ABC Place at the junction of James Guchuru road, where they will turn and head to the finish at the Nyayo National Stadium.

The half marathon competitors will avoid the city centre by staying on the Nairobi Expressway. They will make turns at Ole Sereni Hotel, and at the ABC Westlands then head back to the finish at the Nyayo National Stadium.

The 10km racers will make turns at Capital Centre and Museum Hill, and turn back to the Nyayo National Stadium.

The organisers have set aside $389,500 (about Sh44.8 million) as prize money for the Uhuru Classic out of which $370,000 (Sh42.55m) will cater for prize money in men’s and women’s marathon races.

The men’s and women’s winner will each take home $60,000 (Sh6.9m) in prize money with the second placed athletes in each of the categories pocketing $35,000 (Sh4.02m).