Street acrobats earn money performing in Nairobi traffic jams — Taipei Times
In Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, street acrobats perform for drivers at busy intersections, using stops at red lights to earn money. Groups in leopard-print costumes perform somersaults and other tricks, while one member approaches cars to collect tips.
As Taipei Times reports, such performances began appearing in Nairobi in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, acrobats have become a familiar sight at traffic stops in the city and its outskirts, where traffic jams give them time to perform before the traffic light changes.
Rehearsals and small tips
Twenty-two-year-old Mohammed Nyale said he has been practicing acrobatics since he was 15. Together with other members of his group, he moved to Nairobi from Kenya’s coast, dreaming of a stage career and performances in theaters. The troupe currently rehearses in the morning on an abandoned plot in the low-income Kawangware neighborhood before taking to the streets during rush hour.
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The acrobats usually work until noon and take turns collecting money. Tips mostly do not exceed 50 Kenyan shillings, or about 40 US cents. Since many residents of the country use mobile wallets, the performers also hand out slips of paper with phone numbers for money transfers.
Earnings and dreams of the circus
On a good day, each group member can earn about US$6, enough to cover basic needs. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the youth unemployment rate in 2024 ranged from 4.9% to 9.9%.
Similar troupes also work in other parts of the city. In particular, 28-year-old Jackson Okot and his group performed for drivers on Langata Road. He said he aims to join a professional circus and tour the world. Some motorists consider the acrobats an inconvenience, while others tip them and see the performances as entertainment while waiting in traffic jams.
