The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has issued an advisory to motorists using the Rironi-Mai Mahiu Road.
In a statement, the Authority noted a that there was a massive snarl up along the escarpment route leading to Mai Mahiu caused by a truck which had experienced mechanical issues.
However, KeNHA assured that efforts to manage the situation were underway in collaboration with its Performance Based Contractor.
“KeNHA is working closely with the traffic police to manage and control the traffic flow. The Authority urges motorists to exercise caution and patience while driving through this section.
KeNHA appreciates your cooperation as the Authority works towards resolving this issue promptly. Further updates will be provided as the situation develops,” the statement read.
Motorists using the route that connects Nairobi to Naivasha and parts of South Nyanza and South Rift had complained about the snarl up from the early hours of Friday, December 15.
According to some of the complaints, motorists spent hours in the snarl up that had reportedly stretched to a distance of several kilometers.
But this is not the first-time motorists plying the route have had to endure long hours due to snarl ups.
The Mai Mahiu headache that refused to end
Despite being a crucial gate way to more six counties in South Nyanza and South Rift, the escarpment route is usually narrow and thus limited space for expansion.
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Commercial vehicles including trucks and trailers as well as long distance travel public service vehicles are the dominant traffic on the road.
Some of the counties accessed through the narrow Mai Mahiu Road include Kisii County, Nyamira County, Bomet, Homa Bay, and Narok Counties.
To further compound the situation, the snarl up came at a time the usual mass exodus of Kenyans from the capital to upcountry was at its onset stage.
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Traffic snarl-ups have been almost synonymous with the road especially during the festive season when the transport business hits its peak.’
However, motorists traveling to the counties have an option of using the Ngong-Suswa Road which traverses the Ngong Hills area.
In addition, motorists coming from South Nyanza can use the Narok – Kisiriri – Mau Summit – Njoro Road to join Nakuru and other destinations.
