Mosiria faces backlash after ordering pedestrians to collect litter

Head of Citizen Engagement and Customer Service Geoffrey Mosiria has faced criticism online after posting a video showing him stopping pedestrians who had crossed a busy road instead of using a footbridge sparked debate over how public officials should enforce road safety rules.

The video shows him stopping several pedestrians at the Nyayo Stadium Roundabout and directing them to collect litter along the roadside after finding them crossing the road at a point where a footbridge had been provided.

Some social media users questioned the manner in which the pedestrians were handled, with others criticising the decision to record and publish the encounter.

Activist Hanifa said she had seen Mosiria arresting pedestrians, taking their phones and ordering them to collect litter, while questioning whether members of the public should be afraid of the county official.

"I saw him arresting people, taking their phones and telling them to pick trash. People should not be scared of him," she said in a post reacting to the video.

Another user, Wanjiru, questioned whether the manner in which the pedestrians were handled respected their rights.

"Geoffrey Mosiria is violating the constitution by denying Kenyans their right to dignity and the presumption of innocence. No public official has the power to arrest people, declare them guilty, and punish them on the spot," she said.

Other users focused on the decision to make the pedestrians collect litter by the roadside.

KoxmusaInc said Mosiria should face consequences over the incident, arguing that pedestrians should not be subjected to what the user described as toxic waste simply for crossing the road.

"To be fair, Mosiria should be fired. How do you subject people to toxic waste simply because they crossed the road?" the user wrote.

The user also questioned Mosiria's tone while addressing an elderly man who had told him he was rushing to hospital to see his wife.

Kijana_Misa similarly criticised the public nature of the intervention, saying road safety rules could be enforced without humiliating people.

"Mosiria should stop this immediately. Why humiliate someone's mother or father while cameras are rolling, force them to collect trash by the roadside simply because they didn't use a footbridge and then go on to post the video online?" the user wrote.

The user said members of the public should be treated with dignity even when they violate traffic rules.

The criticism follows an incident in which Mosiria stopped several pedestrians at the Nyayo Stadium Roundabout after finding them crossing the road rather than using the footbridge.

In the video, he is seen questioning pedestrians on why they had chosen to cross the road at ground level despite the footbridge being available.

One woman was stopped while using her phone as she crossed the road. Mosiria asked her to hand over the phone and join others in collecting litter.

Another pedestrian apologised after being questioned about why she had not used the footbridge.

At one point, a man told Mosiria that he was in a hurry to hospital to see his wife, who had just given birth.

Mosiria rejected the explanation, telling him that the hospital would not close and asking whether he would have reached it if he had been hit by a vehicle while crossing the road.

The pedestrians eventually joined the clean-up exercise, collecting litter and placing it together as Mosiria continued stopping others who attempted to cross the road instead of using the footbridge.

Mosiria has defended his wider presence in different parts of Nairobi, saying his role involves educating residents, creating awareness, engaging citizens and responding to complaints.

In the message accompanying the video, he said some people had been asking why he was "everywhere".

"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.

He said his responsibilities also required him to respond to complaints raised by Nairobi residents and ensure that issues affecting them were addressed.

So I am everywhere. If you ask why Mosiria is everywhere, it is because my work allows me to be everywhere," he said.

He said the intervention at the Nyayo Stadium Roundabout was also intended to remind pedestrians that footbridges are provided for their safety and that using shortcuts across busy roads puts their lives at risk.