As Kenyans get ready for 1st of December 2024, a day marked for the World Aids Day half marathon aimed at curbing HIV/AIDS by 2030, several roads will be temporarily closed in Nairobi to allow the race.
The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) has taken the initiative to close sections of Nairobi Roads on Sunday, December 1, from 6 am to 10 am in order to accommodate the 2024 World Aids Day half marathon.
The World AIDS Day half marathon is an event that seeks to support men and boys in maintaining their physical and mental health, while simultaneously drawing attention to the issues surrounding HIV/AIDS.
It will start at Nyayo Stadium to Museum Hill via Uhuru Highway, Kenyatta Avenue, Koinange Street, Muindi Mbigu Street, Wabera Street, Taifa Road, Harambee Avenue, Parliament Road, and Haile Selassie Street.
It will then proceed to Upper Hill Roads, Marathon Road, Ragati Road, Hospital Road, Elgon Road, Mtumbato Road, Masaba Road, Wakuhuri Road, Bunyala Road, Commercial Street, Enterprise Road, Dar es Salam Road, Dunga Road, Lusaka Road and Aerodrome Road.
At the same time, KURA has urged the public to “take heed of the instructions given by police and traffic marshals in regards to alternative routes, and to plan their journeys accordingly in order to avoid any potential disruption.”
Among the participants will be Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala, who has urged Kenyans to take part in the marathon.
“We need to talk about the fight. We actually need to race against time to curb HIV/AIDS by 2030,” Omanyala said in an Instagram post.
“I will be participating in the World AIDS Day Half Marathon on December 1, to run for a cause that impacts us all. Let’s come together to raise awareness, break the stigma, and play our part in the fight against HIV/AIDS,” he added.
The marathon has been broken down into five races. The Wheelchair Race will start at 6:30 am, the Half Marathon will start at 7 am, the CEO’s Race at 7:10 am, the 10 km Run at 8:10 am and the 5 km Family Fun Run at 9am.
The National Syndemic Disease Control Council (NSDCC) has taken the lead in organizing the marathon as a call to action for Kenyans to unite in the battle against HIV and AIDS.
“The marathon is not just about running. In the words of the NSDCC, “The marathon serves not just to raise awareness about the challenges of new HIV infections, unintended pregnancies, sexual gender-based violence, and substance abuse disorders, but also to spark meaningful dialogue and action towards addressing these interconnected issues, particularly among adolescents and young people.”
The year’s marathon theme is “Promoting the health and wellbeing of boys and men”.
Why are we focusing on men and boys?
According to data by NSDCC, in 2023, the new cases of HIV infections among men and boys was 5,968, where 44 percent of the number occurred among ages 15 to 34.
In the same year, 487,710 men and boys were living with HIV with a prevalence of 2.2 percent.
The number included 415,721 men above 15 years old and 35,989 boys between ages 0 to 14 years.
In 2023, 9,808 men and boys died from AIDS, with 70 percent (6,859), being men above 30 years.
