The Motorists Association of Kenya has strongly criticised Nairobi County’s proposal to revive nightlife in the Central Business District (CBD) by reintroducing clubs and entertainment joints.
According to the association, the decline of Nairobi’s once-vibrant evening economy has little to do with location and everything to do with what it calls “punitive and exploitative” government crackdowns on motorists.
In a statement released on Sunday, the lobby argued that indiscriminate alcoblow operations have crippled the city’s nightlife by discouraging residents from going out. Drivers, it claimed, are routinely subjected to random checkpoints on nearly every exit route from the CBD, where many face humiliation, coercive detentions, and bribe demands, even after consuming minimal amounts of alcohol.
“Tell Geoffrey Mosiria the truth,” the group declared, responding to remarks by Nairobi’s Chief Officer for Environment, who had urged club owners to return to the CBD to boost its vibrancy. The association insisted that the government’s approach criminalises moderate social drinkers who pose no danger to road safety, unlike developed jurisdictions where arrests are based on observable reckless or impaired driving.
The Motorists Association further alleged that enforcement officers disproportionately target professionals from affluent suburbs who can afford to pay bribes, turning road safety into a cash cow. The ripple effect, they warned, has been devastating, not only for clubs and bars but also for estate centres, malls, restaurants, and social hubs that once thrived on evening traffic.
Beyond economics, the group said, Nairobi has suffered a cultural loss as nightlife dwindled, leaving the city socially lifeless. While authorities have urged residents to “take a cab” or “designate a driver,” the lobby dismissed such campaigns as out of touch with how modern cities function. Instead, it called for intelligent policing that targets reckless drivers without punishing ordinary citizens.
