Kenyan businesses, schools closed ahead of Obama's visit

The Kenyan capital Nairobi experienced a partial lockdown on Friday as government offices, banks, schools and other businesses premises remain closed ahead of President Barack Obama's visit.

A spot check by Xinhua revealed that majority of commercial buildings were deserted while major streets and highways experienced smooth flow of traffic as Kenyans stayed at home.

President Obama is expected to jet into his ancestral homeland on Friday night and preparations for his maiden visit as U.S. president were in top gear to avoid any hitch.

Obama will attend the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Nairobi from July 25-26 and at the same time hold bilateral meetings with Kenyan leaders.

Kenyan dailies devoted acres of space to Obama's visit and what it portends to the bilateral relations with Washington.

Ordinary Kenyans however were not amused by the lockdown in Nairobi ahead of Obama's visit.

Daniel Kamau, a newspaper vendor in Nairobi's Central Business District, told Xinhua the hyperbole surrounding Obama's visit was exaggerated.

"Majority of my regular customers were nowhere to be found and the business has been quite slow. I do not intend to remain in my work station for long," said Kamau.

A public park adjacent to Kamau's workstation was unusually quiet safe for a few security guards who kept vigil.

The usually busy city market in Nairobi's Central Business District had minimal activities on Friday as few traders and customers turned up.

Flower vendors relaxed on wooden benches while reading newspapers, unsure when the next customer will come calling.

Obama's visit to Kenya had by Friday morning thrown everything into a spin and ordinary people worried about the disruption of their normal livelihood. Endit