The National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) has called for action to be taken against Nairobi Chief Officer for Environment Geoffrey Mosiria over a video the county official shared featuring a young street boy.
In a statement released on Thursday, July 10, the NGEC accused Mosiria of what they described as 'using children as content' as they called on the children's department to take action.
"The Commission strongly condemns the disturbing video recorded by the Chief Officer for Environment, showcasing street-connected boys allegedly abusing jet fuel. Let us be clear: children’s pain is not a spectacle," the NGEC said in a statement.
The video in question showed Mosiria walking along a street in the Nairobi CBD alongside a pre-teen who appeared to be intoxicated and desensitised to what was happening.
In the video, the Chief Officer for Environment called on the public to help trace the child's guardians as he alleged a case of abuse of jet fuel.
But the NGEC, in their subsequent statement, accused Mosiria of using the young boy for content, arguing that the case of street children grappling with cases of drug abuse was not necessarily unique.
"Over 46,000 children in Kenya live on the streets - often invisible, marginalised, and criminalised. Many face abuse, addiction, neglect, and systemic discrimination. Article 53 of our Constitution and the Children Act (2022) guarantee every child dignity, protection from harmful exposure, and freedom from exploitative media profiling," the NGEC added.
"Public officers parading vulnerable children online violate their rights and further stigmatise rather than support. A camera lens should never replace compassion, policy, or protection."
Mosiria has in recent months gained online traction for the unique way of handling environmental issues in Nairobi. The county official's mode of operation involves documenting his day-to-day activities, including night club raids and visits to dumping sites, some of which are illegal.
Despite his intentions, Mosiria has at times courted controversy for his videos, with one of the latest incidents seeing him engage in a public online spat with Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino.
On June 27, a video emerged of the county official in a heated confrontation with two orange hawkers near the National Archives in the Nairobi CBD.
In the footage, there was a dramatic standoff between Mosiria and the hawkers, who declined to vacate the public walkway despite the county government's threat of more stringent enforcement measures.
Amid a spate of criticism, including from Babu Owino, Mosiria accused the Embakasi East lawmaker of using hawkers' plight as a political weapon.
