Christmas travel hell: Thousands stranded on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway

Motorists using the Nairobi-Nakuru-Eldoret highway have been warned to expect heavy traffic on the route due to increased festive travel.

The Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha) says a section of the route from Rironi in Kiambu County to Naivasha and Gilgil is affected.

Kenha has therefore issued a travel advisory, urging motorists affected by the traffic jam not to overlap to avoid additional congestion and also to use alternative routes.

"KeNHA alerts motorists plying or planning to use the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway of a traffic snarl-up from Rironi occasioned by increased travel for festivities. Motorists are advised to maintain lane discipline and refrain from overlapping to prevent additional congestion. They can also use alternative routes," stated Kenha on their  X (Twitter) account.

"Traffic police have been deployed to actively  manage the situation."

The traffic jam began on Friday morning.

Motorists using the highway to travel to upcountry were stranded on the road for hours on Friday.

Alternative routes include the Maai Mahiu-Narok highway and the Naivasha-Njabini-Olkalou-Ol Joro Orok-Lanet-Naruru roads.

For example, motorists travelling from Nairobi to parts of Western Kenya can use the Maai Mahiu-Narok highway to reduce traffic congestion.

Motorists travelling from Naivasha to Nakuru can use the Naivasha-Njabini-Olkalou-Ol Joro Orok-Lanet-Naruru road.

The busy Nairobi-Nakuru-Eldoret highway is the main road into Western Kenya and the artery linking Kenya to the landlocked countries of Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda and Burundi.

A section of the highway, from Rironi to the Mau Summit, is awaiting a Sh160 billion upgrade to a dual carriageway.