The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has called on motorists plying the Nairobi-Nakuru route to exercise lane discipline following a heavy traffic jam being experienced on the highway.

In a statement on Friday, December 22, KeNHA said there was a traffic snarl-up from Rironi occasioned by increased travel for Christmas festivities.

The agency urged motorists to refrain from overlapping to prevent further congestion on the busy highway. The road users have also been encouraged to use alternative routes.

"Traffic police are actively managing the situation," KeNHA assured.

Most roads across the country are packed with traffic jams as Kenyans rush upcountry for Christmas and New Year celebrations with their loved ones.

Nairobi-Nakuru-Eldoret highway has been the most affected since yesterday with motorists spending hours on the road from the city.

Heavy traffic congestion was also witnessed at Tsavo along the Mombasa-Nairobi Highway, resulting from a traffic accident in the Kanga area.

On Wednesday, Inspector General of Police Japheth Koome Koome cautioned Kenyans of expected high traffic on the roads during the festive season, calling on all road users to exercise caution.

Addressing a press conference in Nairobi, Koome noted that road safety is a collective responsibility.

The police boss noted that increased cases of road crashes have been caused by preventable human factors including noncompliance with traffic regulations and rules such as operating defective vehicles, failure to use safety belts by commuters, speeding driver fatigue, driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs and dangerous overtaking.

"We expect high vehicular traffic on our roads due to increased movements of Kenyans across the country. Already we have had two major fatal road traffic accidents in which we have lost a total of 16 people in Machakos and Nakuru since last week. It is quite regrettable that most road traffic accidents and crashes in the country are due to preventable human factors," he said.

The IG, however, assured Kenyans of safety, noting that all police officers on leave had been recalled to resume duty ahead of the Christmas festivities