Floods, Silt Paralyze Traffic on Mai Mahiu-Suswa Road

Motorists traversing the busy Mai Mahiu to Narok corridor faced significant disruptions on Saturday morning after flash floods deposited heavy layers of silt across the carriageway. The affected section, located at Kedong Ranch near Suswa, has become impassable for standard vehicular traffic, prompting an immediate intervention from infrastructure officials.

The Kenya National Highways Authority, known as KenHA, confirmed the development in a formal traffic advisory released on March 7, 2026. According to the statement signed by Director General Eng. Luka Kimeli, the disruption is a direct result of ongoing heavy rainfall in the Rift Valley region, which has led to rapid runoff and the accumulation of debris on the road surface.

The B7 highway serves as a critical artery for freight and passenger transit between Nairobi and the South Rift, including the Masai Mara tourism circuit. The closure at Kedong Ranch creates a bottleneck that threatens to stall the movement of essential goods and commuters heading toward Narok and beyond.

KenHA technical teams are currently on site to evaluate the extent of the blockage. The authority noted that it is working to deploy heavy machinery to clear the silt and restore the road to a navigable state. However, the presence of standing water continues to pose a challenge to recovery efforts.

In the interim, the authority has warned drivers against attempting to cross flooded sections. This directive follows several incidents in the region where vehicles have been swept away or trapped in deep silt deposits during similar weather events. Traffic marshals and police have been deployed to the area to manage the flow of vehicles and enforce safety protocols.

Specific attention has been drawn to the stretch of road between the Naivasha Internal Container Depot (ICD) at Kilometer 14 and Suswa Ranch at Kilometer 39. This 25-kilometer section is currently classified as high-risk due to the unpredictable nature of water flow from the surrounding escarpments.

For travelers who have not yet reached the affected area, the authority recommends a detour. Motorists are advised to utilize the Ngong-Suswa road as an alternative route to bypass the blockage at Kedong. While this route adds travel time, it remains the safest option until the B7 section is cleared and stabilized.

The drainage challenges along the Mai Mahiu-Suswa stretch are a recurring issue for Kenyan road engineers. The volcanic soils in the area are highly susceptible to erosion, and heavy downpours frequently wash large volumes of loose earth onto the tarmac, which can block culverts and lead to rapid flooding.

KenHA officials stated that they are working around the clock to restore normal traffic flow. The authority has maintained a high-alert status across its regional offices as the current weather pattern continues to impact the national road network.

Road users are encouraged to monitor official channels for updates before embarking on journeys through the Rift Valley. The authority reiterated that the safety of motorists remains the priority, even as crews work under difficult conditions to reopen the vital link.