NAIROBI, Kenya — Nairobi County Chief Officer for Citizen Engagement and Customer Service Geoffrey Mosiria turned a routine road safety enforcement exercise into an impromptu community clean-up after catching several pedestrians crossing a busy road at the Nyayo Stadium Roundabout instead of using the nearby footbridge.
During the operation, Mosiria stopped pedestrians who had ignored the designated crossing facility and directed them to collect litter along the roadside as traffic officers looked on.
The exercise, captured in a video that has since circulated widely on social media, formed part of an awareness campaign aimed at encouraging safer road-use practices in the capital.
Mosiria questioned several pedestrians over why they had chosen to cross the busy highway despite the presence of a footbridge.
“For whom was that built? People? Why didn’t you use it?” he asked one pedestrian, who apologised and promised not to repeat the offence.
Rather than immediately handing the offenders over to police, Mosiria instructed them to join others in collecting litter around the area.
One of the most striking moments captured on video involved a young man dressed in a neatly pressed white shirt and grey trousers while carrying what appeared to be a brown envelope, suggesting he could have been headed for a job interview.
The visibly hesitant man was ordered to join the others collecting garbage, with Mosiria appearing to mock him over his smart dressing by comparing him to Tanzanian music star Diamond Platnumz.
“Brother, you don’t want to collect garbage because you’re dressed like Diamond?” Mosiria asked before directing him to participate.
At one point, he stopped a woman who was crossing the road while talking on her mobile phone.
“You are talking on the phone while crossing the road. Come on, give me this, I will hold it for you. Pick up the litter with the others,” he told her.
Another man pleaded to be released, explaining that he was rushing to hospital to visit his wife, who had just given birth.
“Please, let me go before they close the hospital,” he said.
Mosiria dismissed the explanation, arguing that no emergency justified ignoring basic road safety rules.
“The hospital cannot close. I will speak to them and you will get in. If you were knocked down by a car, would you reach the hospital you are rushing to? No. Stop making excuses and pick up this litter like the others,” he responded.
He also warned some offenders that they could face legal consequences for violating traffic regulations before ultimately opting to have them participate in the clean-up exercise instead.
In a statement accompanying the video, Mosiria said the intervention was intended to educate residents rather than simply punish them.
He noted that the footbridge at the Nyayo Stadium Roundabout was specifically constructed to provide pedestrians with a safe crossing point, yet many people continued risking their lives by taking shortcuts across the busy road.
“My work is to educate citizens, talk to them and create awareness. My work is to engage citizens and ensure that the people of Nairobi live well,” Mosiria said.
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He added that using a footbridge may take only a few extra moments but could prevent serious or fatal road accidents.
The exercise comes amid continued road safety campaigns targeting pedestrians who cross roads at undesignated points instead of using footbridges and marked pedestrian crossings.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has previously conducted enforcement operations against jaywalking on major highways as part of broader efforts to reduce pedestrian fatalities.
Road safety authorities have consistently urged pedestrians to use designated crossing facilities, remain alert while walking, and avoid distractions such as mobile phones when navigating busy roads.
Mosiria said the Nyayo intervention was designed to reinforce that message, stressing that every road user has a personal responsibility to prioritise safety over convenience.
