Traffic ground to a halt across large parts of Kenya’s capital on Monday after sections of matatu operators went ahead with a strike despite an official call to suspend the action, triggering widespread disruption for commuters, businesses and commercial transport.
Several operators blocked Outering Road at the Kariobangi Roundabout, one of Nairobi’s busiest transport junctions, bringing traffic to a complete standstill and cutting off a key link between the city’s eastern and northern neighbourhoods.
Witnesses said vehicles belonging to Forward Travellers Sacco were deliberately parked across the roundabout early Monday morning, rendering the road impassable and forcing motorists to abandon their routes. Long queues quickly formed on feeder roads, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded.
Outering Road is a critical corridor for traffic moving between Eastlands, Thika Road and northern Nairobi, and its closure caused knock-on congestion across surrounding areas as drivers sought alternative routes.
Gridlock was also reported along Thika Road, one of Nairobi’s main highways serving the city’s northern suburbs and satellite towns. Motorists said traffic was barely moving for hours, with some commuters reporting delays of more than two hours during the morning rush.
Similar scenes were reported on Waiyaki Way, a major artery linking Nairobi to western Kenya. Matatus were seen blocking lanes heading into the city centre, affecting commuters travelling from Uthiru, Kabete and Kinoo, as well as long-distance passengers coming from Nakuru and other parts of western Kenya.
In the central business district, buses were spotted blocking parts of Tom Mboya Street at the junction with Ronald Ngala Street near the KTDA building. The area serves as a major bus stop for matatus operating routes to Umoja, Donholm and Githurai, and its partial closure further worsened congestion in the city centre.
Residents travelling into the capital from Eastlands reported being dropped off along Jogoo Road, with conductors telling passengers that transport SACCOs were not allowing matatus into the city due to the ongoing strike action.
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The disruption affected public service vehicles, private cars and commercial trucks, delaying workers, students and deliveries and compounding Nairobi’s chronic traffic congestion. Businesses reliant on morning deliveries said operations were disrupted, while schools reported late arrivals by students and staff.
Motorists were advised to avoid Kariobangi Roundabout and Outering Road until further notice, while commuters were urged to seek alternative routes, allow extra travel time and postpone non-essential movement.
The strike was announced last week by matatu operators protesting the alleged torching of several public service vehicles by boda boda riders. Operators accused the government of failing to address growing hostility and insecurity facing public transport operators in parts of the country. Some truck drivers had also indicated plans to join the shutdown in solidarity.
On Sunday, however, the Federation of Public Transport Sector (FPTS) said it had suspended the planned nationwide strike to allow dialogue among stakeholders, a move intended to ease tensions and avert major disruption.
Monday’s events suggest that the suspension was either not fully communicated or ignored by some operators, resulting in sporadic blockades and widespread traffic paralysis across the capital.
There was no immediate comment from police or transport authorities on how long the disruption would last or whether enforcement action would be taken against operators blocking major roads.
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Nairobi regularly suffers severe congestion during peak hours, but analysts say uncoordinated industrial action by transport operators can quickly paralyse the city, which relies heavily on matatus for daily commuting.
As talks continue between transport stakeholders and the government, commuters remain uncertain over whether services will fully resume or if further disruptions could follow in the coming days.
