Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has sharply criticized County Chief Officer for Environment Geoffrey Mosiria following a tense and widely shared exchange with hawkers in Nairobi’s CBD.
The verbal clash, captured on video, sparked national debate over authority, poverty, and dignity.
In the footage, a hawker, with her toddler strapped to her back, firmly refused Mosiria’s directive to vacate the walkway.
She retorted emotionally: “Kindly allow us to mourn we are mourning, kindly leave us alone, please,” urging officials instead to support shop owners whose businesses were vandalized during recent unrest.
Responding via his X account on Saturday, June 28, 2025, Owino accused Mosiria of turning his back on the vulnerable. He characterized the county official’s stance as callous and disconnected from reality.
“The poor are not poor by choice but by circumstance. Leaders should serve the people, not weaponize poverty against them,” he declared, asserting that Mosiria’s approach violated the moral contract between the state and vulnerable citizens.
The MP continued, warning that leadership devoid of empathy undermines justice: “Justice is not charity. Equality is not a Favour. DIGNITY is not negotiable. Every decision echo in the lives of those with the least.” Owino demanded a county administration focused on listening, protecting, and uplifting, not penalizing poorest.
Mosiria, in contrast, defended his position. He argued the hawkers’ presence blocked legitimate businesses and provoked disorder.
“They felt entitled to occupy pavements, block walkways, and obstruct legitimate shop owners… this is not fair. It’s not lawful,” he stated, emphasizing the need to restore civic order.
The confrontation comes months after the Nairobi County government banned hawkers from main street vending zones.
Mosiria maintained his composure during the encounter and dismissed accusation that his actions were driven by provocation or insensitivity.
This clash highlights deeper tensions in urban governance, between enforcing civic regulations and safeguarding the rights and dignity of informal traders.
Owino’s rebuke underscores the precarious balance leaders must strike: maintaining order without marginalising those already on society’s edge.
As online debates continue, one thing rings clear: addressing poverty requires empathy as much as regulation, and leadership that understands both remains the urgent demand of the hour.
