TSAVO, KENYA – Hundreds of passengers and motorists were forced to spend Wednesday night in their vehicles after a major accident caused a complete shutdown of the Nairobi-Mombasa highway near Tsavo town. The resulting traffic gridlock, which lasted for more than 12 hours, paralyzed Kenya's busiest and most economically vital transport artery, stretching for several kilometres and affecting vehicles in both directions.

The incident began on Wednesday afternoon, November 26, 2025, following an accident that rendered the highway impassable. Efforts by police and traffic marshals from Taita Taveta County to clear the congestion proved futile throughout the night, with many travellers, including those in Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) and long-distance trailers, left stranded without access to accommodation or basic amenities. Footage from the scene on Thursday morning showed long lines of stationary vehicles, primarily buses and commercial trucks, underscoring the scale of the disruption.

The Tahmeed Coach bus company issued a statement on Thursday morning, November 27, warning its passengers of significant delays for all services between Nairobi and Mombasa. "We are constantly monitoring the situation... The inconvenience caused is deeply regrettable," the company announced, indicating it might alter its regular schedule.

Economic Lifeline Under Strain

The Nairobi-Mombasa highway is a critical component of the Northern Corridor, a trade route essential not only for Kenya but also for landlocked neighbouring countries like Uganda, Rwanda, and South Sudan. Such prolonged closures have severe economic repercussions, disrupting supply chains, delaying the transport of essential goods, and increasing operational costs for businesses. A 2014 government estimate suggested that traffic jams cost Nairobi alone approximately KSh 50 million daily in lost productivity, a figure that has likely grown substantially. More recent analyses indicate that nationwide, traffic congestion leads to annual losses of KSh 146.5 billion from delays and KSh 16.7 billion in wasted fuel.

This incident is the latest in a series of major traffic disruptions on Kenya's key highways, which are frequently plagued by accidents, lane indiscipline, and congestion, particularly during peak travel seasons. The gridlock highlights the urgent need for infrastructure upgrades and more effective traffic management systems to mitigate the impact of such events. The Kenyan government has acknowledged these challenges, with President William Ruto recently announcing an ambitious plan to dual 2,500 kilometres of major roads over the next decade to ease congestion and improve safety.

Recurrent Problem Demands Systemic Solutions

Driver fatigue among long-distance truck operators has been identified as a significant contributor to accidents on Kenyan highways. Regulations from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) mandate that drivers of commercial service vehicles should not operate for more than eight hours continuously, requiring companies to employ a second driver for longer journeys. However, consistent enforcement of this rule remains a challenge.

As police and traffic marshals continued their efforts to restore normal traffic flow by 7:00 a.m. EAT on Thursday, the incident served as a stark reminder of the fragility of the country's primary transport network. Motorists have been urged to exercise patience as authorities work to clear the backlog of vehicles. The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) had not issued a formal statement on this specific incident by the time of publication, though it has recently issued advisories for other planned disruptions, including the launch of the Rironi-Mau Summit road expansion project.

The recurring nature of these paralyzing traffic jams underscores the need for a multi-faceted approach, combining infrastructure development with stricter enforcement of traffic laws and improved emergency response protocols to protect the country's economic lifeline.