Navigating Nairobi traffic is already an extreme sport. But it’s time to redraw your daily commute maps. The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) just dropped a massive update that will reshape how we move around the city over the next several months going into 2027.

Starting this week, KURA will partially close several major arteries in Nairobi. While the immediate traffic disruptions might test our patience, these upgrades are a necessary evil as the government races to revamp our infrastructure. In fact, these massive facelifts are likely driven by the government’s push to get everything ready for the upcoming AFCON tournament, an event that promises to put Kenya and East Africa firmly in the continental spotlight.

So, what exactly is closing, and for how long? Let me break it down for you:

Ngong Road: You’ll need a detour if you frequent the section between Windy Ridge and Westwood Park Road. KURA will shut this segment down for exactly one week, from Thursday, June 11 to Thursday, June 18, 2026, to allow contractors to install twin cross culverts.

Haile Selassie Avenue: Prepare for a longer disruption here. Starting Friday, June 12, KURA will partially close sections of this busy avenue to facilitate major bridge construction. The barricades will stay up for four months, wrapping up on Monday, October 12, 2026.

Closure-of-Haile-Selassie-Road-for-4-months

Kenyatta Avenue, Valley Road, and Jakaya Kikwete Road: This is the big one. KURA will partially close these crucial connector roads starting this Friday, June 12, 2026, for a staggering eight months to tackle extensive bridge construction works. They expect to reopen the affected sections by Friday, February 12, 2027.

Closure-of-Kenyatta-Avenue-Valley-Road-and-Jakaya-Kikwete-roads-for-8-months

In their official public notice, KURA appealed to our sense of civic duty, noting: “The Authority seeks to partially close several roads within Nairobi. We kindly ask for your cooperation as we strive to Transform Urban Mobility.”

As a daily commuter, this means waking up a little earlier and heavily relying on traffic marshals and navigation apps to find alternative routes. We highly recommend mapping out your detours right now before the Friday rush hits.