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Police announce closure of key roads as Nairobi hosts France-Africa Summit
Nairobi Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamud.
Police have announced major road closures and heightened security measures in Nairobi ahead of next week’s Africa Forward Summit, a high-profile Kenya-France gathering expected to bring together more than 30 heads of state and up to 4,000 delegates.
City Hall Way, Parliament Road, Harambee Avenue and Taifa Road will be closed to the public beginning midnight on May 11, while intermittent traffic stoppages are expected along Mombasa Road, Thika Road, Limuru Road and Kiambu Road.
Nairobi Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamud has said the summit would host top global figures, including French President Emmanuel Macron, the UN Secretary-General, the head of the International Monetary Fund, the chairman of the European Union, and officials from the Confederation of African Football and the African Development Bank.
“We will ensure that all those who attend are well protected. We urge Kenyans to go on with their activities and cooperate with the law enforcement agencies during this time,” Mr Mohamud said.
He was speaking on Saturday during a security briefing at Nairobi Area headquarters ahead of the event.
Mr Mohamud said the National Police Service was working alongside other security agencies, including the Kenya Defence Forces, National Youth Service and international security teams from France and the United Nations.
“We have done adequate deployment of uniformed and civilian plainclothes officers. We have enhanced surveillance, both foot, mobile and air operations,” he said.
Mr Mohamud added that security agencies had secured key venues, hotels and critical infrastructure ahead of the summit.
“I wish to assure the public that the security situation remains stable and fully under control,” he said.
The police commander said the traffic disruptions were necessary to facilitate the movement of visiting delegations between Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, hotels and summit venues.
“Sometimes we will have partial closures along the key routes either leading to JKIA, Kasarani or the venues,” he said. “There will be intermittent stoppages of traffic to allow passage of motorcades.”
Mr Mohamud urged motorists and travellers to plan ahead to minimise inconvenience, particularly those heading to the airport.
“Those who have flights maybe can do it five hours earlier than the normal scheduled flights because we don’t want you to miss your flights,” he added.
The summit, jointly hosted by Kenya and France on May 11–12, marks the first time the high-level France-Africa meeting is being held in a non-Francophone African country.
According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the summit planning process involved consultations with African governments, civil society groups, multilateral institutions and the African Union.
The meeting is expected to bring together political leaders, investors, innovators and development partners to discuss innovation, climate action, sustainable investment and economic growth.
Kenya is also seeking to leverage the summit to attract increased French investment in renewable energy, manufacturing, digital technology and infrastructure.
France is currently among Kenya’s top foreign investors, with more than 150 French companies operating in the country.
French Ambassador Arnaud Suquet described Kenya as one of France’s most important partners in Africa.
“France has a very solid partnership with Kenya,” he said, adding that French firms operating in the country provide tens of thousands of jobs.
The envoy said that during the summit, France would also break ground on a new science and engineering complex at the University of Nairobi.
“It was an obvious choice for France to partner with Kenya,” he said.
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