Motorists using the busy Nairobi-Nakuru Highway faced a prolonged traffic jam near Kimende on Friday, July 19, with delays lasting over 11 hours.
The heavy traffic jam extended from Gitaru through Kimende, Kijabe, and Kinungi to Naivasha.
Transport was paralyzed after residents from Lari protested against Kenya Power for leaving them in the dark for three months.
What began as a mid-morning demonstration escalated, leading to protesters blocking one of the major highways. This action caused a massive traffic backlog, bringing movement to a halt.
On July 19, at around 5:05 pm, an X user humorously advised travelers on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway to buy their supper early.
“Vehicles are not moving from Kimende to Flyover. There is no movement,” posted Maina Muigai.
Later, he added, “I decided to walk from Kimende for four hours. Seeing people sleeping in the traffic, I made the right choice. My legs are still burning though.”
Also Read: Traffic Disruption as Protesters Close Busy Highway
Travelers, including school going children, were caught in the traffic snarl-up and with many forced to spend the whole night at Kimende.
In images and video seen by The Kenya Times, vehicles were seen parked along the highway with no movement.
Some passengers had to light bonfires to stay warm as temperatures dropped, with scenes of the night captured and shared widely on social media.
Travelers Express Frustrations After Spending Night at Kimende
Frustrated travelers took to social media to share their experiences of the stationary traffic stretching for kilometers.
Many expressed their frustration at being stuck without movement, sharing their predicaments in real-time online.
“We have spent the night awake, from Flyover, Soko Mjinga to past Kimende, more than six hours in traffic,” posted X user Stanley Kasoka at 5:34 am.
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“The situation at Kimende is dire. Everyone is stuck in the jam, including school children. Please, let the relevant authorities do something,” Shadrack Kiptalam said.
The Motorist Association of Kenya confirmed the traffic snarl up, stating, “The Kimende gridlock at night has not been good. Anyone who got stuck here knows.”
“We are still stuck as of 5:38 am. Slowly moving at Kimende, headed to Naivasha. Left Nairobi at 10 pm. It’s been a terrible experience. I pity the school kids; even school buses are not spared,” Peter Maina said.
Another frustrated X user Mabinda Peter lamented, “Got stuck here yesterday from 11 pm to 4 am. I just reached Timboroa. It was terrible. It was alleged the Gen Z of Kimende/Soko Mjinga were demonstrating and wanted electricity back after three months of blackout.”
By the time of publishing, the Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) was yet to issue updates or explanations for the protracted traffic snarl-up.
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