Kenya, March 15 -- Several schools in Nairobi's Eastlands area stopped their normal activities because they were worried that President William Ruto's visit could cause problems like what happened during his visit to Mathare.

Some traders also decided not to open their shops in places like Umoja, Outering Road, and Embakasi.

Certain schools told parents to pick up their children early, as soon as 10 a.m., to avoid any issues.

"To avoid traffic jams in the area, we will let day school students go early today at noon. School buses will leave earlier than usual at 11:50 a.m.," said a message from one of the schools.

"We kindly ask parents picking up their children to make the necessary arrangements," the message continued. This caught many parents off guard, with some saying they received calls to collect their kids.

"I got a call from the school and had to rush home to pick up my child. It feels strange that learning has to stop because of political events," said James Otieno, a parent, in a conversation with The Standard on Friday.

A headteacher from one school, who wished to remain unnamed, explained that they made this decision to keep the students safe.

"Since the president is visiting our area, we decided to let the students out early. We were worried that if things got out of hand, it would be tough for the driver and teacher to manage the situation," he said.

He added, "It wasn't safe for the children and teachers with all the big crowds nearby, and it might have been hard for the school's security to handle everything."

Starting Thursday, a schedule was shared showing President Ruto's plans to visit Eastlands, including Jogoo Road, Umoja, Njiru, and the larger Embakasi area.

Because of this, traders along Jogoo Road, Outering Road, and Kangundo Road didn't open their businesses until the afternoon, worried about possible chaos.

Along Kangundo Road, there were many police officers standing by the roadside as the president traveled to Kayole Junction, where he spoke to a crowd.

The roads in the area were blocked as young people from Kayole, Mathare, Kiambiu, Kariobangi, and Dandora followed the president's convoy.

Daily transport services faced big disruptions across Eastlands. Matatus (public transport vehicles) on several routes parked at filling stations and waited until late to resume services after the political events wrapped up.

Some Matatu drivers mentioned they were scared that passengers might be attacked, like what happened on Tuesday when some robbers targeted passengers.

President Ruto's visits to the city have been marked by security problems. There were incidents in Mathare and on Thika Road where thieves swarmed vehicles and stole from passengers.

In one video shared widely, a group of young men was seen hanging onto a moving matatu, reaching in to steal from people inside.

This incident occurred on March 11, 2025, just after the president left for another location, and it raised concerns about safety during such visits by the president.

Another group was seen stealing from a parked delivery truck, taking soft drinks meant for a wholesaler along Juja Road.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.