Transport along a busy section of the highway in Mithuri, Naivasha, was disrupted on Thursday morning after demonstrators blocked the road with stones, forcing motorists to seek alternative routes.

The protesters, mostly youth from the area, took to the streets demanding to be included in employment opportunities linked to the ongoing Rironi-Mau Summit highway expansion project.

They expressed frustration that despite the multi-billion-shilling project passing through their locality, many of the available jobs had allegedly been allocated to people from outside the region.

“We are not against development, but it is unfair that our own people are left out while outsiders benefit from a project happening in our region,” one protester said.

The situation escalated briefly before Naivasha Deputy County Commissioner Josiah Odongo intervened, engaging the demonstrators and urging them to remain calm.

He assured residents that efforts were underway to ensure a fair process in the allocation of jobs. His intervention helped restore order, with the road gradually reopened after several hours of disruption.

The incident came weeks after the government announced that the Rironi-Mau Summit road project had created over 10,000 jobs nationwide.

The highway, a key link between Nairobi and the Western and Nyanza regions, has long been plagued by heavy traffic congestion, particularly during peak travel seasons.

The ongoing expansion, being implemented under a Public-Private Partnership, is expected to improve traffic flow, enhance safety, and reduce travel time once complete.