Expand Mai Mahiu road to reduce accidents and jams, motorists say

Motorists using the Mai-Mahiu-Nairobi road want it expanded following a series of accidents in the past one month.

This came as tens of motorists were caught up in a four-hour traffic jam on Monday evening following an accident involving two trucks which blocked a section of the busy road.

Last week, another accident on the same road caused an eight-hour traffic snarl up after a truck developed mechanical problems before it was hit by a saloon car from behind.

According to motorists, it has become impossible to overtake or manoeuvre through a section of the road whenever there is a slight jam or accident. Ali Abdallah, a truck driver, said many man hours were wasted on the section of the road on due to frequent jams. He added that trucks trying to manoeuvre were crashing into a nearby escarpment.

"We are calling for the expansion of this road as we are experiencing weekly jams whenever there is a slight accident," he said.

Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Nakuru Chairman Kamau Njuguna said that country was losing millions due to the jam.