Unpacking the nightmare of commuters in Mlolongo

Peak hours in Mlolongo is a nightmare for road users; ranging from motorists to pedestrians.

The stretch along Mombasa Road between Allpack Industry and the yellow Mlolongo footbridge—from AIC Kasina to the Mlolongo weighbridge—descends into chaos.

Trucks line the roadside, matatus weave through traffic, and motorists crawl through a maze of congestion. What should be a short drive becomes a frustrating ordeal, testing the patience of all road users.

At the center of this chaos is the Mlolongo Weighbridge. It was designed so that trucks destined for Nairobi would branch into a service lane from AIC Kasina Mlolongo to access the weighbridge.

In reality, that service lane has been overtaken by mechanics who have turned it into a repair yard for the very trucks meant to use it.

This effectively forces heavy trucks onto the main highway, causing a slow-motion collision with matatus and private cars, creating a dangerous and frustrating bottleneck.

The situation worsens at the junction of Mombasa Road and the weighbridge service lane, especially for drivers coming from Nairobi.

Matatus have exploited this spot, stopping to pick and drop passengers right at the turn, blocking traffic flow.

Their stops cause confusion, with trucks attempting to swing into the lane, matatus blocking the way, and private motorists caught in the middle.

Sometimes, the congestion becomes so severe that traffic police are called in to manage the gridlock.

Ironically, Mlolongo once boasted a proper bus park. The orderly system was a relief for commuters and transporters alike.

However, that bus park disappeared — first converted into a garbage collection site and later into a mitumba market.

With the loss of the bus park, Mlolongo was deprived of an organized transport hub, paving the way for chaos.

“We had a bus park before, but they eliminated it. Now everyone suffers — matatus, trucks, even pedestrians. It’s just poor planning,” laments Janet Atieno, a local commuter.

Today, the highway itself has become a staging ground. Trucks park on shoulders, matatus hijack lanes, and commuters bear the brunt of the chaos. “This jam wastes my time,” says Peter Mwangi, a driver. “From Allpack to the footbridge, I can sit for half an hour — just a few kilometers.”

The persistent gridlock is no accident; it is a consequence of poor planning and neglect.

The authorities watched as the bus park disappeared, leaving trucks without a proper staging area, with matatus turning junctions into unofficial stops.