By Peter Ochieng
The Kenya National Highways Authority(KENHA) has announced a temmporary closure of the Haile Selisse Avenue in Nairobi.
The road will be closed between Haile Selassie roundabout and Parliament road, from Friday 5th April (10.00pm) to Saturday, 6th April, 2024 at 5.00am.
“The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) wishes to notify the public that there will be temporary closure of Haile Helaissie Avenue (CBD bound lanes) between Haile Selassie roundabout and Parliament road,” reads a public notice signed by KeNHA director general, engineer Kungu Ndungu.
“This is to allow for installation of service ducts,” the notice adds.
A duct is a highly effective method used in n distribution of electric power to heavy duty machines used in commercial places.
KeNHA advised motorists to follow the proposed traffic management plan shared online, and cooperate with the police and traffic marshals on site.
Haile Selassie was named after former Ethiopia emperor.
The name means ‘power of the trinity.’
Reportedly, he used to refer to himself as “His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, King of Kings of Ethiopia, Elect of God.”
The title is often used by Rastafarians – a religion derived from Haile Selassie’s birth names, Ras Tafari (Makonnen).
Kenya’s first President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta was a very good friend of the Emperor.
According to biographer Jeremy Murray-Brown in his 1972 effort, Kenyatta: A biography, the founding father kept the red, green and gold Ethiopian flag in his room at 75 Castle Road in 1931 England, a year after Haile Selassie was crowned Emperor having resisted colonization by Italy.
