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Commuters, motorists stuck in traffic hell as rains pound Nairobi – PHOTOS


Nairobi motorists and passengers had to contend with long hours of traffic snarl-up following a heavy downpour experienced in the city on Wednesday evening.

The rains, which started at around 4pm, left pools of water on most city roads.

The rains also caused an acute shortage of public transport with Thika Highway, Mombasa and Jogoo Roads being the worst affected.

Commuters had to bear with a gridlock stretching kilometres on most roads leading into and out of the city.

Passengers waiting for matatus plying Nairobi's Umoja and Saika Estates. PHOTO| RICHARD MUNGUTI
Passengers waiting for matatus plying Nairobi’s Umoja and Saika Estates. PHOTO| RICHARD MUNGUTI

In the Central Business District, it was chaos on Moi Avenue, Tom Mboya, Racecourse Road, Ronald Ngala Street, Haile Selassie Avenue, Temple Road and Kimathi Street among others.

For some passengers and motorists, the matter was made worse by the fact that Moi Avenue was marked a no go zone for the 14-seater vehicles. Floodwaters also filled major streets and avenues in the city.

“All matatus are accessing their terminals either through Kirinyaga Road or Tom Mboya where they have to make a U-turn,” reported a Nation reporter.

Heavy traffic usually builds up on many of the city’s roads in the morning and evenings when commuters enter and leave the CBD, rains usually make the situation even worse.