Motorists stranded after Pangani road blockade

There was panic along the busy Thika Superhighway at Pangani after a group of people blocked the road following an earlier demolition exercise, triggering a major traffic snarl-up and leaving hundreds of motorists stranded.

The group said they were unhappy with the move to demolish their structures.

Long queues of private and public service vehicles stretched along the highway as traffic ground to a complete halt, forcing many road users to wait until the situation was brought under control before resuming their journeys.

Witnesses said some of the people were armed with machetes and other crude weapons as they marched along the highway.

During the incident, some motorists were allegedly robbed, although the full extent of the incidents had not been immediately established.

Police officers responded to the scene and moved to restore order.

It was not immediately clear whether anyone was injured during the confrontation.