A group of Somali TikTok creators has drawn widespread condemnation online for performing dangerous roadside stunts designed purely for shock value. These young content creators routinely flout traffic rules, obstruct vehicles, and put themselves and motorists at risk in pursuit of viral videos.
The creators often work in pairs or small groups, jumping into busy roads, weaving around speeding cars, buses, and lorries, and capturing the chaos on camera. One recent video shows a creator in a beige sweater and green pants narrowly escaping a speeding bus after a high-five with a colleague, leaving viewers horrified.
Other videos feature women casually walking in the middle of traffic, as motorbikes swerve around them to avoid collisions. Reports indicate that many of these stunts occur near the Muthaiga underpass in Nairobi, where the creators exploit the busy slip roads as their performance stage.
Kenyans on social media have decried the acts, calling for stricter regulation and enforcement. On X, users expressed frustration at the apparent lack of intervention by traffic authorities. “This is recklessness of the highest level. This is not content. This is crime. They’re knowingly obstructing traffic, putting themselves in danger and risking the lives of other motorists,” one user wrote.
Others emphasized the moral and psychological impact on drivers who might inadvertently harm the creators. “Consider the driver. If a creator slips, trips, or misjudges the speed of a car, the driver is the one who has to live with the trauma. Even if legally in the right, that impact is a life sentence,” wrote Joseph Nzioka.
Observers warned that the trend reflects a disturbing combination of thrill-seeking, social media fame, and a disregard for public safety. Critics have urged the authorities to intervene immediately to prevent a potential tragedy on Nairobi’s roads.
