This caused a jam on the road prompting impatient motorists to overlap.
Overwhelmed police officers withdrew from the road leaving chaos spiraling for kilometers as motorists rushing for a weekend to western Kenya remained trapped.
The traffic chaos began near Limuru at around 5 pm and continued throughout the night, forcing many to spend the night at Kimende, Sokomjinga and other shopping centers on the highway.
The traffic gridlock extending beyond 12 hours, left hundreds stranded.
As temperatures dropped, desperate travellers lit bonfires to keep warm, with scenes of the night captured and shared widely on social media.
The Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) has not explained the issue.
Affected motorists used social media to express their frustrations and anger over the issue.
Travellers continued to share their predicaments in real-time, highlighting the dire need for a prompt and effective response from the authorities.
As dawn broke on Saturday, there was still no sign of relief. The highway, a vital artery connecting Nairobi to other parts of the country, remained clogged.
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