Man attacked by hawkers in Eastleigh fighting for his life in ICU – Mosiria
By Kiprono Keileb, September 23, 2025A disturbing video that has been trending online has sparked nationwide outrage after showing a man being violently assaulted by hawkers in Eastleigh, Nairobi.
The clip, recorded along one of the area’s busiest streets, captures a chaotic scene where the man is cornered and mercilessly beaten.
The victim, who was trying to navigate through Jam Street, is now fighting for his life in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). A few people attempted to intervene during the attack, but the injuries inflicted left him in critical condition.
Nairobi County Chief Officer for Environment Geoffrey Mosiria condemned the incident, describing it as a stark example of rising impunity among hawkers who have turned public roads into open-air markets.
“This young man, who was beaten up as though he were a thief, had only requested the Jam Street hawkers who have turned the road into an open market to allow him to pass so that he could attend to an emergency at home,” Mosiria said in a statement on his official X account on Tuesday, September 23, 2025.
According to him, the man’s plea was met with resistance rather than compassion.
“Instead of letting him through, they completely blocked his way. When he stepped out of his car to reason with them, they turned on him and beat him until he ended up in the ICU,” Mosiria explained.
The official condemned the act as unacceptable and symptomatic of a deeper problem of lawlessness in the city.
“This is the height of impunity. Hawkers who are clearly in the wrong still believe they have the right to attack innocent people who also have the right to use the road. For how long will people continue to suffer in the name of earning a living?” he posed.
Mosiria said the county government would no longer sit back and watch residents endure violence, blocked roads, and unsafe conditions caused by unregulated hawking. He noted that similar issues have also been compounded by illegal dumping and clogged drainage systems.
“As a government, we cannot remain silent and watch people behave as if there are no rules and regulations governing our country. The law is very clear regarding hawking, illegal dumping after business hours, and blocking drainage systems. Such lawlessness will not be tolerated,” he warned.
The incident has since fueled fresh debate over how hawking is managed in Eastleigh, an area where businesses, pedestrians, and motorists often compete for the same limited space. Many Nairobians have expressed sympathy for the victimwhile calling for urgent enforcement of existing county by-laws to restore order on the streets.