Traffic snarl as boda operators barricade Mombasa Rd in Mlolongo

Bodaboda operators barricade the busy Nairobi-Mombasa highway during their demonstrations against poor state of roads in Mlolongo, Machakos County, on March 9, 2026

Motorists and passengers plying the busy Nairobi–Mombasa Highway were on Monday caught in a traffic snarl-up following boda boda operators’ protests in Mlolongo, Machakos County.

The road users spent hours on the road after the operators barricaded it a few metres from the Nairobi Expressway exit within Mlolongo Township.

In their hundreds, the riders who operate in the Mlolongo, Syokimau, Sabaki, and Kappa areas within the Mlolongo division took to the streets, demanding that Machakos county administration repair what they termed the pathetic state of some roads in Mlolongo Ward.

The roads they mentioned included Gossip–Mlolongo Phase 3 Road and sections of the Mlolongo–Police Road that were recently partly tarmacked by the County Government of Machakos.

The demonstrations started at 9.00am with the barricading of the Gossip–Mlolongo Phase 3 Road near the Kenya Power offices before extending to the Nairobi–Mombasa Highway. They used their motorbikes, stones, and movable stalls to barricade the roads.

Local security authorities led by Athi River Sub-county Deputy County Commissioner Otieno Odidi responded to the scene to stop the demonstrations.

Odidi was accompanied by Athi River East Sub-county Police Commander Anderson Mbae and area sub-county Criminal Investigations Officer Michael Boiyo. The boda boda operators’ earlier attempts to access the Nairobi Expressway were thwarted by police officers.

Officers from Kitengela, Athi River, Kyumbi, SNP, and Syokimau police stations were among those who offered reinforcement to their Mlolongo counterparts.

Relevant authorities questioned why the riders barricaded the Nairobi–Mombasa Highway if indeed they were protesting the poor state of Machakos roads, yet the highway is managed by the Kenya National Highways Authority and not the County Government of Machakos.

The riders, however, said they could not reach top national government officials, hence the reason for barricading the highway.

They said their earlier protests against Ndeti’s administration did not bear fruit after they blocked access roads within Mlolongo Township.

“We took to the highway protesting against the poor state of Mlolongo roads. This is a failure of the County Government of Machakos. The heavy rains pounding the country have made the roads, especially connecting Gossip to Mlolongo Phase 3, impassable,” Mlolongo–Syokimau overall chairman Lazarus Muteti said.

Muteti addressed the media shortly after the protests in Mlolongo.

He said the protests were fuelled by rising accidents involving boda boda operators on the roads in recent months.

“A boda boda operator got involved in an accident, injuring a sick woman who had just been discharged from the hospital. The woman was returned to the hospital for treatment,” Muteti said.

He said both the woman and the rider were injured after the motorbike they were on slid and overturned due to the poor state of Gossip–Mlolongo Phase 3 Road.

Muteti added that operators using electric motorbikes were the most affected by the poor state of roads in Mlolongo Division.

He said those servicing loans were finding it difficult to repair their motorbikes whenever they broke down.

Joseph Okumu said they had given Ndeti’s administration a week to fix the roads or they would stage a more serious demonstration at her White House office in Machakos town.

“We are forced to take our injured pillion passengers to the hospital and settle their hospital bills due to the poor state of roads. For instance, we spend Sh3,000 to treat our passengers in hospitals after accidents, while we only charge Sh200 for transport services. This is incredible,” Okumu said.

Kennedy Otieno blamed the poor state of the roads on voters who elect politicians known for making empty promises.

“Enough is enough. This is only a sign of anger among boda boda operators over the poor state of the roads. Let’s prepare for real protests,” Otieno said.