Nairobi Street Acrobats Perform for Tips in City Traffic Jams Since 2020

Street acrobats in Nairobi, Kenya, have been performing at traffic stops in and around the city since first appearing in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The performers take advantage of gridlocks to stage their acts in exchange for cash tips, and the practice has become normalized at traffic stops. It is how they earn a living. The acrobats work the city's notoriously heavy traffic, entertaining drivers stuck in jams while collecting money from motorists. The phenomenon began during the pandemic year and has since grown into a regular feature of Nairobi's streets, with acrobats appearing at traffic stops both within the city and in surrounding areas. Their performances are tied directly to the congestion that regularly halts vehicles, turning gridlock into an opportunity for income. Tips from drivers constitute the acrobats' livelihood.