This archive report was first published on 3 August 2019.
On Friday night, Anthony Okumu left Nairobi at 9pm expecting to arrive in Ugenya at 6am, but he got stuck in traffic approximately 5km to Gilgil Weighbridge.
Okumu was expected at a family function for dowry payment, but the traffic snarl-up caused by construction of a section of the road by KENHA at Gilgil Weighbridge made it impossible for him to attend.
"I left Nairobi on time but look, I cannot attend a family function that made me travel because of traffic snarl-up," Okumu said.
Motorists were overlapping and overtaking unnecessarily, making it difficult for traffic officers to clear the snarl up, according to Okumu.
Another passenger, Rosebellah Opondo, was travelling for the burial of her grandmother in Ruambwa, Budalang'i, but she was still in Gilgil by noon on Saturday.
"It is sad that I am unable to bury my grandmother because of heavy traffic," Opondo said.
Even after traffic was cleared, the passenger bus got a puncture, and efforts to have another vehicle provide transport remained futile.
Francis Mulama, who was heading to Siaya, lamented over the delay and accused authorities of failing to come up with a solution to end heavy traffic.
Kenya National Highway Authority (KENHA) workers were trying to repair a 100m stretch to avert further crisis.
