Heavy snarl-up experienced on the Nakuru-Nairobi Highway led motorists, who were enthusiastic about experiencing the WRC Safari rally in Naivasha, to stay in traffic for hours on Saturday night.
In videos and clips shared online, vehicles are stuck in traffic on long stretches of the busy highway at the time of publishing this article.
Several advisories have also been issued to motorists urging them to take alternative routes to their destination to avoid piling up on the road.
Road users also took to social media to express their frustration with the whole situation, one musing that those heading from Naivasha to Nairobi would arrive faster than those heading from Naivasha to Nakuru, the latter being a far shorter distance.
This was despite the clear difference in the two destinations with the former being only 100 kilometres while the latter was 78 kilometres.
Several of the motorists were even forced to spend the night on the highway.
One such motorist narrated how he was caught up in traffic while on his way back to Nairobi. A journey that he projected would end at 11 pm ended up extending for four more hours, with him arriving in Nairobi at 3 am.
The National Police Service, however, insisted that its traffic officers had been deployed to the highway and other routes to provide directions.
Since the Safari rally kicked off on Thursday, Kenyans have trooped from all over the country, most from Nairobi to experience the spectacle.
Over the weekend, more flocked to Naivasha causing the snarl-up as everyone rushed to not miss the climax of the event.
On Sunday morning, the traffic was not only concentrated on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway as revellers scrambled to get to Hells Gate to witness the event's final leg.
Heavy traffic was reported along Moi South Lake road in Naivasha as spectators headed to the national park.
The sporting event which attracts thousands is a yearly event and comes with similar challenges despite the National Police Service (NPS) putting in measures to avoid the same.
A day before the event, NPS issued a notice to bus and lorry drivers, warning them against parking along the Naivasha–Nakuru Road or causing obstructions.
The service also noted that it was collaborating with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to ensure road safety and compliance.
