Organisers of the African Road Cycling Championships have revised their traffic management plan in Kisumu after residents and motorists complained about disruptions caused by road closures.
The restrictions have forced motorists to take lengthy diversions and left some residents struggling to reach health facilities.
Felix Macathy, a resident of Nyalenda, said he abandoned his car in Kilo and walked about 3km with a patient to Nightingale Hospital after finding roads leading to Kisumu County Referral Hospital blocked.
“The patient was not in critical condition; I don’t know what I could have done. Kachok roundabout is the only exit route to the major hospital in Kisumu if you’re residing in Nyalenda,” he said.
Motorists travelling to the central business district via Nairobi Road have been directed to use the Kachok Bypass towards Kondele.
For the past two days, commuters have been forced to alight at a police roadblock on the bypass and walk about 3km to the city centre.
Others have turned to boda bodas, with some paying higher fares because of the diversions.
The revised traffic plan, seen by The Focus Paper, provides for two crossing points: one on Achieng’ Oneko Road, near West End Shopping Mall and Kisumu Hotel, and another on Ring Road, near Quick Mart Supermarket.
Organisers said the changes followed lessons learnt on the first day of racing. Sources familiar with the discussions said security officers and organisers had held late-night talks about the road closures.
Race director Jan Nys acknowledged that the event would disrupt movement around the city but said the restrictions were necessary to protect cyclists.
“Cycling is a very complicated sport. It’s not like football or basketball, which is in a stadium. This is on open roads, so we have to close roads,” he said.
Nys said the county government had approved the temporary closures, acknowledging that residents and businesses would face delays.
“That will impact the mobility of the city. We don’t have to hide it,” he said, adding that traffic jams and longer journeys were inevitable.
He said vehicles could not be allowed on the course while races were under way.
“We cannot tolerate that any car or any motorcycle or any truck would be on the course. That would be a very unsafe condition,” he said.
Under the traffic plan, roads are to be closed when the red-flag vehicle passes and reopened only after the green-flag vehicle has gone through.
Police have been deployed at junctions along the route, with the operation covering 196 numbered posts.
Most categories are competing on a circuit of about 10.2km through Kisumu.
The route starts on Ang’awa Road, near Kisumu County Referral Hospital, and passes through Nairobi Road, Ring Road, Lodwar Road, Awour Otieno Road, Tom Mboya Road, Ojijo Oteko Road, Achieng’ Oneko Road and Oginga Odinga Street.
Wednesday’s programme included the women’s junior race over one lap of about 10.1km and the men’s junior race over two laps, covering 20.4km.
The women’s elite and under-23 categories also competed over two laps.
On Thursday, 11 teams were scheduled to contest the elite and under-23 mixed team relay, covering four laps and a total distance of 40.8km.
The junior road races are scheduled for Friday, October 23.
Saturday’s programme begins with a 20.4km fun ride.
The women’s elite and under-23 road race is scheduled to start at 12.30pm and cover 124.8km, including the neutralised section, along the Kisumu–Vihiga corridor.
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