Motorists and thousands of travellers using the Nakuru-Nairobi highway were stranded on Friday near Gilgil after an accident triggered a major traffic snarl-up on the busy highway.
Several vehicles, including a truck, were involved in the crash between Kikopey and St Mary’s, with the number of casualties yet to be known at the time of publishing this story.
According to eyewitnesses at the scene of the incident, several passengers were feared to have been injured in the incident.
The truck overturned, completely blocking the highway and bringing movement to a standstill, forcing motorists to wait for police response to unlock the gridlock.
The truck is said to have been transiting towards Nakuru City when it overturned on the major highway, paralysing movement.
''The way is completely blocked, and there are a few people who are injured here. However, as it stands, there is completely no movement here,'' a witness recounted.
Images and videos obtained from the scene showed motorists, both transit and passenger vehicles, stuck on both lanes of the narrow stretch amid the chilly weather in the area.
In recent weeks, the Nakuru-Nairobi Highway has experienced frequent traffic snarl-ups, causing major inconvenience to travellers and other motorists.
On August 17, hundreds of passengers and motorists were left stranded for hours at night following a massive traffic jam along the highway.
The situation was worsened by heavy rains that continued to pound adjacent areas, further impeding visibility and road conditions.
Currently, the government is in the process of initiating the expansion of the Nakuru-Nairobi highway and the adjacent Rironi-Mau Summit highway to address the constant traffic snarl-up.
According to the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), the road would be expanded under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, with motorists expected to pay toll fees to use it.
However, the process has faced significant challenges, including protests from motorists' associations who have opposed the proposed tolling once the expansion is complete.
