This archive report was first published on 3 August 2019.
On Friday evening, a massive traffic jam occurred on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway, leaving hundreds of motorists stranded on the road. The jam, which lasted for several hours, was caused by a combination of factors, including the closure of a section of the road used by heavy trucks for repairs and the failure of drivers to give way to each other.
According to eyewitnesses, the situation was worsened by the high number of vehicles using the section of the road on Friday, with some motorists being forced to seek alternative routes. A matatu driver, Abel Wahome, described the jam as 'man-made', citing the overlapping of drivers as a major contributor to the crisis.
"Every weekend, the number of motorists using the road rises, and the move to close a section of the road used by trailers for repairs leads to the crisis," Wahome said.
A passenger, Pentrina Muthoni, who was heading to Nakuru from Nairobi, also blamed the jam on the lack of discipline and impatience among drivers. "Everybody was in a hurry to pass the affected section of the road, and in the process, the drivers ended up blocking each other, forcing us to spend hours at the area," she said.
A senior police officer, who wished to remain anonymous, warned that the crisis could deepen until the closed section of the road was repaired. "Lack of discipline and impatience has caused all this problem, but we are doing all we can to help in the flow of traffic," the officer said.
