A group of Somali TikTok creators has sparked widespread outrage across Kenya after circulating videos showing them obstructing busy roads in Nairobi to film dangerous stunts designed purely for online attention.
Their actions—described by many as reckless, illegal, and potentially fatal—have ignited public calls for immediate arrests and stricter regulation of content creation.
The viral videos show the creators deliberately placing themselves in the path of speeding vehicles, using traffic provocation as entertainment. Working in groups of two or three, they position cameras by the roadside, then leap onto the tarmac just as cars, buses, and motorcycles rush toward them. At the last second, they sprint off the road while laughing, seemingly unbothered by how close they come to death.
One disturbing clip shows a young man in a beige sweater and green pants casually stepping into the highway, high-fiving a friend, then circling playfully—only to be struck by a speeding bus moments later with a loud, sickening thud. His condition remains unknown.
Other videos feature women strolling or standing motionless in the middle of the road as vehicles approach from both directions. In one instance, a woman dressed in a brown buibui and orange garbasaar raises her arms in fear as two motorbikes barely manage to swerve around her to avoid a collision.
Sources familiar with the group say the stunts are often filmed near the Muthaiga underpass, particularly at the highway slip road—a location known for fast-moving traffic and a high risk of accidents.
Kenyans on TikTok and X have condemned the creators, accusing them of turning public roads into a “film set of death” and endangering both themselves and innocent motorists.
“This is recklessness of the highest level. This is not content. This is crime,” one user wrote, questioning why traffic police have not intervened.
Another, David Gathoni, warned that the creators were risking paralysis or death “for a few hundred likes,” calling for stricter regulation of TikTok in Kenya.
Others emphasized that even if a motorist was blameless in a fatal collision, they would be left with lifelong trauma.
“Even if the driver is legally in the right, the psychological weight of killing a young person is a life sentence,” wrote Joseph Nzioka.
Road safety advocates argue the trend reflects a dangerous culture among thrill-seeking youth who view highways as stages for viral content rather than essential public infrastructure.
Emergency responders, logistics vehicles, and daily commuters rely on these roads, yet the TikTokers treat them as props in high-risk stunts that could result in mass casualties. Experts warn that even a slight miscalculation—one slip, one trip, one misjudged speed—could lead to catastrophe.
As of now, police have not issued an official statement, causing further frustration among Kenyans who believe the law is being openly flouted. Many citizens are urging the National Police Service and the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to take action before the trend leads to tragedy.
The videos continue circulating online, raising urgent questions about the boundaries of digital content creation and the responsibility of platforms like TikTok to curb life-threatening behaviour.
