Mombasa Road was on Tuesday afternoon barricaded by rioters who lit born fires in protest after two groups squabbling over land in Mavoko clashed.
Police lobbed teargas canisters and dispersed the protesters who blocked the busy highway at the Makutano junction within Mavoko subcounty, Machakos County.
The incident caused traffic snarl up on the highway for minutes before police officers cleared it and normalcy returned.
The land ownership row is on a parcel located along Nairobi-Machakos Highway at Kyumbi Shopping Centre.
Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti condemned the clash blaming it on a group of people she claimed had invaded the disputed land armed with bows, arrows among other crude weapons and fire arms.
She claimed the 'goons' attacked innocent members of the public leading to the clash.
"There isn't anyone with the permission to invade any land in Machakos County armed with bows, arrows and fire arms," Ndeti said.
The governor spoke at Kyumbi police station where she had gone to seek redress from area security team.
Ndeti claimed the goons had been hired by certain individuals whose intentions were to grab the land in question.
"Wale wanakula vitu zetu zote tunawajua (Those eating our things, we know you) and your time is over," Ndeti said.
The governor said those occupying the land should be ejected by County security team.
She claimed the people claiming ownership of the land are in possession of fake land documents.
"Machakos people, we haven't injured anyone. I came here as Machakos governor. Those who are inside that land should get out."