Motorists travelling to and from Nairobi faced a nightmarish ordeal on Friday night as they found themselves trapped on the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway for over 12 hours.

The traffic chaos began near Limuru at around 5 PM and continued throughout the night, forcing many to spend the night at Kimende.

The traffic gridlock, now extending beyond 12 hours, left hundreds stranded. As temperatures dropped, desperate travellers lit bonfires to keep warm, with scenes of the night captured and shared widely on social media.

The Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) has remained silent, offering no updates or explanations for the protracted traffic snarl-up. Meanwhile, social media platforms have been inundated with posts from frustrated Kenyans sharing their harrowing experiences.

One commuter posted on X, “From 2am till now, still at Kimende.” Another lamented, “We’ll definitely not move today.” 

The frustration was palpable as another wrote, “The situation at Kimende is wanting. Everybody is stuck in the jam, including schoolchildren. Please let the relevant authority do something.”

A helpful yet exasperated message read, “Kimende was and is still not moving!! Take a detour.”

The chaos stemmed from protests by Lari residents on Friday. What began as a mid-morning demonstration escalated, leading to protestors blocking the crucial highway. This action caused a massive traffic backlog, bringing movement to a halt.

This incident is not isolated. In April, another severe traffic jam in the same area trapped motorists for several hours. On that occasion, KeNHA acknowledged the situation with a brief statement but did not provide a detailed explanation for the delay. They merely alerted motorists of a snarl-up between Kijabe and Soko Mjinga due to an incident.

The current scenario, however, appears more severe, with no clear resolution in sight. Travellers continue to share their predicaments in real-time, highlighting the dire need for a prompt and effective response from the authorities.

As dawn broke on Saturday, there was still no sign of relief. The highway, a vital artery connecting Nairobi to other parts of the country, remained clogged. The lack of communication from KeNHA has only exacerbated the situation, leaving motorists and their families in a state of uncertainty and frustration.

The Treasury reports that an average of 16,000 vehicles traverse the Nairobi-Mau Summit section of the corridor each day. In Nakuru, traffic volumes peak significantly, surging to as many as 40,000 vehicles daily.

The blockage has had a ripple effect, impacting not just travellers but also businesses relying on timely deliveries and commuters needing to reach their destinations urgently.