Commuters and motorists using Kenya’s busy northern corridor were served hours of agony Thursday, when a monstrous traffic jam brought sections of the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway to a grinding halt showcasing the long-standing problem of road congestion on the critical artery.
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale was among the thousands of motorists held up in an excruciating traffic jam on Thursday, September 11, when traffic on the Salgaa section of the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway ground to a standstill.
There were large-scale delays on one of Kenya’s most congested northern routes, bringing to an end day-to-day commutes and delivery of supplies.
Taking to social media to express his misery, Khalwale described the ordeal as a “perennial nightmare” for drivers. “We are stuck here at Salgaa. Kilometres and kilometres of traffic. Who cares, yet leaders have choppers! A dual carriageway is the only solution to this frustrating Nairobi to Malava border problem,” he lamented, blaming the government for doing nothing to end the regular jam.
The cause of the jam was not yet officially stated at the time of going to press, and most of the commuters stranded and angry. Social media was full of drivers’ reports of the inhumane traffic jam.
One poster, by the name Ospreys, warned drivers traveling to Eldoret or Kisumu to attempt alternative routes so as to avoid the jam.
“If you are traveling to Eldoret or Kisumu from Nakuru, avoid A104; it is horrendous at Salgaa. Use Njoro/Molo or Kabarak-Ravine routes,” they alerted.
The accident was not a one-time occurrence. Previous moments saw the same congestion on Nairobi Nakuru road, particularly in the Mai Mahiu region.
Movement was extremely slow from Mutarakwa to Nakuru CBD, with reports showing an enormous backlog from Nairobi and Naivasha.
The Long Distance Drivers and Conductors Association (LoDDCA) also confirmed the jam, urging drivers to exercise caution and take side roads to avoid further congestion.
The chronic traffic jams highlight the urgent need for upgrading of infrastructure on this important transport link road, as commuters bear the brunt of administrative inertia and road infrastructure issues.
