A man from Webuye has sparked widespread discussion after he was allegedly caught pretending to have a disability while begging for money on Uhuru Highway in Nairobi.
According to witnesses, the man was sitting by the roadside with one leg folded, asking motorists and pedestrians to help him with money. Many people believed he had a physical disability and gave him assistance out of sympathy.
The situation changed when a passerby approached him and claimed to know him personally. The man accused the beggar of misleading kind-hearted Kenyans by pretending to be disabled. He urged him to stop deceiving the public and warned that he would call the police if he refused to stand up and walk.
The beggar denied the accusation. He insisted that his leg had been injured internally and that he could not walk. He explained that he was only asking for help to buy food because of his condition.
As the argument continued, a crowd gathered to watch. Moments later, the beggar suddenly stood up and ran away from the scene at high speed. His unexpected escape surprised many people and strengthened claims that he had been pretending to have a disability.
A video of the incident quickly spread across social media, attracting thousands of comments and reactions. Many Kenyans expressed disappointment, saying such actions make it difficult for the public to trust people who genuinely need help. Others argued that cases like this discourage people from donating to those with real disabilities or other serious challenges.
The incident has also renewed debate about begging in Nairobi’s central business district. Some members of the public believe there are individuals who fake illnesses or disabilities to gain sympathy and collect money from generous people. Many are now calling for closer monitoring to protect both genuine people in need and well-meaning members of the public from deception.