Motorists heading to Central Kenya caught up in 10-hour traffic gridlock

Huge traffic snarl up at Meru town caused by poor road network. (Photo: Peter Muthomi/Standard)

The main road leading to the Mt Kenya region was on Saturday night gridlocked following a massive traffic pile-up.

Motorists plying the highway from Nairobi leading to Meru, Nyeri, Embu, Isiolo and Nanyuki spent nearly 10 hours along the section between Kenol and Kambiti.

The situation worsened when motorists, trying to avoid the section, diverted to the Kenol-Sabasaba-Murang'a road, were also caught up in another big snarl-up along the route.

Traffic police blamed the gridlock on overlapping, which led to a complete blockage of the road. Heavy rains pounding the area did not help the situation as it led to flooding of sections of the road. Traffic started building up at the section at 7.30pm and it was not until 5am that police managed to open up the road.

Fatigued motorists cut the engines of their vehicles and braved the chilly and rainy night as police officers struggled to clear the mess. An expectant woman who was being taken to Murang'a district hospital gave birth in the vehicle.

Duncan Mwangi, who was heading from Meru to Nairobi lamented how he was forced to sleep in the car for several hours as he waited for police to clear the road.

"I watched the crazy traffic snarl up as all the motorists overlapped and eventually blocked the road," said Mr Mwangi.

Vehicles transporting miraa from Meru to Nairobi diverted to Kaharati-Kangari road to avoid the Saba Saba stretch. On the busy Kenol-Murang'a section, a truck got struck in a diversion at Saba Saba thus causing a major snarl-up that spread to Kaharati market where the expectant woman gave birth in a matatu.

Traffic police camped along the worst sections until 6am when they managed to clear the traffic jam. Murang'a South Officer Commanding Police Division Charles Koskei blamed the traffic jam on overlapping and motorists ignoring traffic regulations.

In northern Kenya, the heavy rains have cut off key roads. Along the Isiolo-Garissa road, three vehicles that included a truck ferrying foodstuff to Wajir were swept away by raging floods at Laag Boghor, which marks the border between Isiolo and Garissa.