Hundreds stranded as work begins on Maai Mahiu road

Mayhem reigned along the Maai Mahiu-Narok road as motorists made desperate attempts to circumvent the damaged sections of the busy highway.

Heavy rains impeded repair works as engineers took cover from the downpour as the rains also frustrated efforts by drivers seeking alternate tracks through nearby farms.

Matatu drivers, known for their craftiness in avoiding jams, were forced to eat humble pie as their vehicles got stuck deep in the mud as they tried to drive through farms.

Young men did a roaring business of pushing and pulling the stuck vehicles and directing motorists to drier ground. The highway links Nairobi to Narok, Kisii, Bomet and parts of Nyanza.

It also links Nairobi to the world-famous Maasai Mara game reserve. (SEE MAP: Nairobi to Maai Mahiu)

The alternate route is the Nairobi-Nakuru-Kericho highway which makes the journey significantly longer.

In something akin to a telepathic moment, most of the travellers were simultaneously making frantic calls to inform family and friends of the dire situation they faced trying to reach their destinations.

“I had come from Narok headed to Maai Mahiu after purchasing hides and was advised by a friend to drive through a shortcut as the repair works were underway, but I got stuck in the mud for the last three hours.

“I have called for the assistance of a breakdown, but they are charging me exorbitantly. I am not sure of my next move,” said dealer Charles Gichuki.

“I arrived from collecting sand at 6 pm on Friday headed to Kiambu County and found repair works had just begun, forcing me and my crew members to stop.

“We were forced to spend the night in the vehicle as we were not sure of the security situation,” said truck driver Evans Kinyanjui. “It’s pathetic that more than 48 hours later we are still in the same position.”

“It’s a pity that we were among the first people to be affected arriving only hours after the repairs began...

“I was headed to Nairobi to ferry sand but had to spend the night in the vehicle, but I am hopeful that I will not be forced to spend another night in the cold,” lamented another driver, Maina Mungai.

Some of the matatu drivers had to transport their customers up to the damaged section of the road before letting them board another vehicle on the other side in a desperate measure to safeguard their customer base.

But the worst hit were truck drivers who could not find alternate routes for their heavy commercial vehicles and were forced to wait for the engineers to complete the repair works.

Peninah Mutindi, who was transporting potatoes to Nairobi, was keeping her fingers crossed. “I don’t want to imagine what would happen if the repair work is not completed by the end of the day,” she said.

But it was not all gloom as business was booming in sleepy Maai Mahiu with stranded drivers being forced to spend the night in town.

Passengers looking for meals and tea also provided brisk business for hotels, restaurants and kiosks, a spot-check by the Sunday Nation showed.

One of the engineers at the site who declined to be named, said they were hoping to complete the work by the end of the day.

He said the breach was huge measuring six metres wide by six metres deep. “The damage caused by the floods was huge, but we are working around the clock to complete the repairs.”