Kenya vs Gambia: Public Outcry as Thika Road Closure Sparks Fury

Several parts of Thika Road will today, Friday, September 5, 2025, remain closed from 6:00 am ahead of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers clash between Harambee Stars and Gambia at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF), in a traffic advisory issued yesterday, said the move was necessary to manage congestion around the stadium.

Motorists heading in and out of Nairobi have been advised to use alternative routes, with roadblocks set up at Muthaiga and Ruiru interchanges.

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Police officers have also been deployed to enforce the diversions and maintain order throughout the day.

The announcement, however, has sparked sharp reactions from Kenyans on X( formerly Twitter) , many of whom argue that closing down a major highway from early morning for a match kicking off in the afternoon is excessive and disruptive.

“Is football starting at 6 AM? Who made the poor decision to reroute traffic? Why not divert closer to midday or have one express lane to Kasarani, leaving the rest usable? @KeNHAKenya @NPSOfficial_KE, is this how limited your traffic management skills are, resorting to outdated methods?” asked Te Raiona (@TeRaiona254).

Kenyans online vented their frustration, saying the blanket closure of Thika Road disregards the needs of millions of commuters who depend on the highway daily. Some questioned whether the move would even improve security or traffic management.

“Hii upuzi sasa imezidi, kwani mkifunga barabara itawasaidia aje kushinda?” tweeted paulO (@TensaiMovil).

“All these for a dead rubber? Pelekeni hiyo game Tanzania tu, huu ni upuzi,” remarked The Emperor (@Kushnah).

The decision has also been branded inconsiderate for being enforced on a weekday when thousands are heading to work.

“You have police who are idle in their camps. Who would break in to the stadium if you just deploy them around instead of inconveniencing everyone on a work day by locking a whole highway? You think Thika Road is only for football fans?” wrote Mutua.eth (@Mutuabrian_M).

Many Kenyans urged authorities to rethink how major sporting events are handled in Nairobi, pointing out that frequent road closures risk alienating fans from the national team.

“This is unacceptable. We cannot afford to close the A2 8-lane road. Are we even serious with the citizens? Think again,” said Martin K (@kigothomartins).

“Very distasteful & shameful. Every time you will be closing official roads & disrupting other citizens’ activities for matches? Shift these stadiums outside cities to minimize pressure on existing city infrastructures like roads,” added Cast | - Looks & Yikes (@pickcasta).

Others expressed fears that continued inconveniences might make Kenyans resent the national team.

“These road closures will soon make people hate Harambee Stars or matches in general... Why does a game have to inconvenience everyone else for a whole day?” argued Mwangi From The Brock (@ChiefPatriot254).

Despite the public anger, FKF has maintained that the measures are necessary for safety and order, stressing that police will take stern action against violators of the traffic rules.

Whether today’s measures will ease congestion or worsen frustrations remains to be seen as fans and commuters navigate Nairobi’s busiest highway under the restrictions.