Nairobi- Nakuru highway at Kamandura junction at a standstill following traffic gridlock towards Mai Mahiu. [George Njunge, Standard]
Hundreds of commuters were stranded overnight between Mai Mahiu and Kamandura following heavy rains that caused a massive traffic jam after stalling trucks blocked the highway.
On Friday morning, the situation worsened with a gridlock stretching from Kamandura Junction, where many truck drivers switched off their vehicles in an attempt to let the congestion ease.
Police and residents have been trying to contain the situation, but their efforts have been unsuccessful as more vehicles, including trucks, PSVs, and private cars, continue to come in from Nairobi, heading toward Nakuru and beyond.
Small cars attempting to navigate through Mai Mahiu have been trapped between the stationary trucks, while hawkers have taken advantage of the situation to sell food and drinks to stranded families, many of whom are unprepared for the prolonged delay.
In a bid to ease the situation, police have redirected long-distance trucks to the main Nairobi-Nakuru highway, allowing them to join traffic at the Naivasha Junction. However, this has only compounded the congestion, with the jam now stretching beyond Kimende.
The Thogoto-Mutarakwa Road, the only alternative route for truckers from Mai Mahiu heading to Mombasa via the Southern Bypass, has also been heavily affected.
Motorists heading to Ndeiya and Thogoto have been stuck at Mutarakwa, with matatus forced to drop passengers at the junction as the road has become impassable.
Chaos
A spot check by The Standard revealed that frustrated motorists have created up to four lanes on the two-lane road, further worsening the gridlock. Without alternative routes to Nakuru, the traffic situation remains dire, leaving commuters stranded with no clear resolution in sight.
Authorities have yet to provide a timeline for clearing the jam, as the rains continue to complicate efforts to restore normalcy.