
Nairobi is notorious for traffic jams. According to a report, the Kenyan capital is the world's fourth-most congested city, far worse than any in the US.
A glimpse of the horror was caught on late Thursday night when the city's main highway, Mombasa Road, was jam-packed with vehicles for several hours, as a new expressway is being built on a stretch of road.
The traffic jam was reportedly made worse after a road accident, the BBC reported.
Several angry commuters vented their anger as they had to spend overnight in the massive traffic jam.
“Ridiculous that I’m getting home at 4 am after an 11-hour journey, tweeted Pauline Otsyula, a lawyer.
Otherswho left office in the eveningsaid they arrived home in the early hours just in time to leave for work once again.
“It’s 1 am in the morning and at the Kyangombe road towards Mombasa road, traffic is still at standstill. Guys have resorted to parking their cars and sleeping by the roadside,” a person tweeted.
The construction is reportedly part of the $550m road project to providea fast road linking northwest cities of the capital to the main international airport.
On completion, it will stretch 27 kilometres across Nairobi. It is meant to ease traffic flows in and out of the centre of the city.
It is reportedly being financed and constructed by the China Road and Bridge Corporation and the Chinese firm would operate the highway under a public-private partnership.
The stretch of the road most affected on Thursday night connects the city centre to highly populated suburbs in the east.
(with inputs from agencies)