Hundreds of motorists were on Sunday, July 12, forced to spend the night stranded along the Malaba-Bungoma highway as a massive traffic snarl-up stretched to over 33 kilometres, disrupting movement towards Kenya's border with Uganda.

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The congestion reported around the Kanduyi area has been linked to delays caused by mandatory Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) plate seals for trucks entering Uganda.

In a statement on Sunday, the Long-distance drivers and conductors association (LoDCCA) said the prolonged wait has raised concerns about their safety, cargo security, fatigue, and the lack of essential facilities, such as ablution services, along the affected stretch.

"The Malaba jam is now 33km long, at Kanduyi, Bungoma County. The backlog is due to mandatory  URA plate seals for trucks heading to Uganda," LoDCCA stated.

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"Drivers are concerned about safety, cargo security, lack of ablution facilities, fatigue, and prolonged delays," it added.

The long-distance drivers spent the night on the roads, ultimately affecting other road users who usually depend on the northern corridor for their daily movements, who also experienced delays.

Following the snarl, the Kenyan government, through the State Department of East African Community Affairs, intervened with the Ugandan authorities to expedite the mandatory plate seals for the trucks.

According to LoDCCA, despite interventions by authorities, the situation remains critical, with hundreds still trapped on the road as of Monday morning.

The association says the jam is now about 26 kilometres, with motorists reporting a snarl-up from the Mayanja area in Bungoma County.

"Traffic is at Mayanja, Bungoma County, about 26km from the Malaba border. Thank you, Dr. Caroline Karugu, PS EAC Affairs, for your swift intervention last night. However, the situation remains critical," the association said in a statement on Monday, July 13.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke