Motorists and passengers using the busy Nakuru-Eldoret Highway were forced to spend a night in the cold on Sunday, April 9, after a trailer veered off and blocked a major section of the road.
The accident occurred after a trailer burst its tyre and lost control, swerving to the right and blocking the road carriageway.
Two local pedestrians were injured in the incident that led a group of irate locals to block the road following the accident that happened at the Mau Summit interchange approach towards Eldoret.
Some of the motorists complained that the rowdy crowd took advantage of the darkness and started harassing drivers and passengers.
“Rowdy young people are harassing drivers and demanding for money,” one passenger who was stranded for hours lamented.
Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), in a statement, shared an hour to midnight, revealed that it had liaised with the Kenya Police to respond to the scene and offer security immediately.
“The two pedestrians who were injured have been taken to hospital.
“We have also liaised with the Police to have the road cleared at the earliest possible opportunity,” KeNHA stated.
To avoid a further pile up of traffic jam, the Authority gave out alternative routes for drivers to use.
“Motorists to use Maji Mazuri-Ravine-Nakuru Road while motorists coming from Londiani may use Mau Summit-Molo-Nakuru Road or Mau Summit-Molo-Kibunja-Salgaa-Nakuru as we attend to the accident scene,” the Authority directed.
This was the second major highway to be closed over the Easter Holiday by demonstrating locals.
On Saturday, April 8 through Sunday, April 9, locals from Chuka in Tharaka Nithi County blocked the busy Embu-Meru Highway.
The residents held demonstrations after one of the local leaders was allegedly shot by a police officer.
It took the intervention of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki to end the protests after he promised that the matter would be exhaustively investigated.
