• Frustrated motorists were stuck for on the busy highway for over 10 hours.
• The purpose of the diversion is meant to facilitate the demolition and construction of the bridge.
Motorists were on Friday night forced to spend a cold night on the Naivasha-Nakuru Highway following a huge traffic snarl-up after the closure of a truck lane near the Gilgil weighbridge.
Frustrated motorists were stuck for on the busy highway for over 10 hours.
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) had earlier sent an advisory for a temporary traffic diversion at the Gitaru Bridge from August 2.
The purpose of the diversion is meant to facilitate the demolition and construction of the bridge.
Most of the motorists took to social media to air their frustrations with many blaming the government, traffic police, contractors and fellow motorists for the snarl-up.
For the better part of Saturday morning 'Gilgil' was trending at number one as Kenyans vented their frustrations lamenting on cancelled weekend plans.
Clips circulated on social media showed the snarl-up stretching for tens of kilometres with rowdy youths controlling traffic at Gilgil as the traffic police seemed overwhelmed.
09:18 Closure of truck lane @ Gilgil caused all this. I feel for Kenyans who slept on the jungle. pic.twitter.com/p3REWzDz4k via @Fred_daktari
— Ma3Route Counties (@Ma3RouteCounty) August 3, 2019
Twitter user @KaundaGilbert wrote, "A country of jokers. Stuck from 12 am upto now."
"People stuck at Gilgil Weighbridge from 8pm last night till now! And the government still want to introduce toll along the highways! It will be messy! Noisy ! And cumbersome!" "EdwinCheruh tweeted.
Rowdy youths controlling traffic at Gilgil.. polisi wamelemewa pic.twitter.com/p9bbxZVs5E
— Fredrick Amulaka (@AmulakaFredrick) August 3, 2019
@TrackTheCorrupt said, "So it's Friday, it's end month, it's schools closing day. Some empty-headed official decides to close on lane at the Gilgil weighbridge. Or is it the government getting ready to start charging Kenya B & C toll fees, up to 7000/- per vehicle."
"The Nairobi - Nakuru highway is a busy road connecting major towns in the country. However, the mismanagement at the weighbridge in Gilgil has caused losses of billions of shillings for a very long time. It's high time Kenha takes responsibility," @igathee wrote.
@OmondiJunior11 said, "Gilgil traffic caused by incompetent and corrupt KeNHA officials, there's no sign of things getting any better, some motorists are even dundaing on each other."
"Uhuru flew past us on the highway with his two military choppers on his way to and from Bomet. So our leaders live in the sky while we suffer down here," @PGKangethe said.
"The traffic situation in Gilgil is nothing short of stupidity. Motorists stuck there please, mpambane na hali yenu pole pole. Mkiambiwa follow simple traffic laws mnaona polisi ndiyo wajinga," @Mtendawema said.
Photos:Courtesy