On Friday night, motorists traveling on the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway faced a distressing situation, with many trapped in traffic for over 12 hours.

The gridlock began around 5 PM near Limuru, triggered by protests from locals in the Kijabe area who blocked the road in response to the alleged theft of a transformer by Kenya Power and Lighting.

As the night wore on and temperatures dropped to a chilling six degrees, desperate travelers resorted to lighting bonfires on the roadside to keep warm.

Social media was flooded with posts from frustrated motorists, sharing their experiences and highlighting the dire conditions they faced. One motorist expressed, “We are stuck because of the impatient nature of Kenyan drivers.”

The traffic chaos not only affected those traveling to Nairobi but also impacted those heading to western Kenya for the weekend.

Overwhelmed police officers withdrew from the scene, allowing the situation to spiral further out of control, with motorists overlapping and causing additional delays.

By dawn on Saturday, the highway—a crucial route connecting Nairobi to other parts of the country—remained clogged, with no immediate relief in sight.