Street acrobats entertain motorists stuck in the Kenyan capital's notorious traffic

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — As the light turns red at a busy intersection in the Kenyan capital, a young man costumed in leopard print emerges into the street to perform somersaults. He is joined by five others, dressed similarly, as they execute a combination of acrobatic stunts.

One of them, juggling woven hats, breaks away and approaches the drivers of vehicles that have come to a halt. He's hoping for generous tips as he presents his hat to driver after driver while his mates continue their routine. The group breaks away as soon as the traffic lights turn green.

Nairobi's street acrobats first began appearing in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they have since become normalized at traffic stops in and around the city, with acrobats taking advantage of gridlocks to perform in exchange for cash tips. It is how they earn a living.

Mohammed Nyale, 22, said he started doing acrobatics hoping for a life-changing occupation.

“I have always loved acrobatics since I started performing at 15 years old,” he said.

He and others in his group left their homes on the Kenyan coast with dreams of on-stage careers and sold-out theaters, but they have so far settled for the streets, performing their stunts for motorists in Nairobi's never-ending traffic.

Nyale's group gathers in the early mornings in an abandoned field in Nairobi's impoverished neighborhood of Kawangware to rehearse their routines. Next, they move into the streets as traffic starts to build up during the morning rush hour.

“We say a prayer before changing into our costumes,” Nyale said.

They usually perform until noon, taking turns to collect tips from motorists. The amounts given tend to be small, usually no more than 50 shillings (about 40 U.S. cents). Because many Kenyans keep money in mobile wallets, the acrobats also hand out slips of paper with their phone numbers to which tips can be sent.

On a good day they might each earn roughly $6, enough to look after their basic needs, though on some days they make more.

That is equal to the daily wage of most casual laborers in construction or agriculture in a country where unemployment is widespread. The youth unemployment rate stood between 4.9% and 9.9% in 2024, according to figures from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.

Earning money from street performances “is what enables us to live in Nairobi because we moved here from quite far and no one is helping us to pay rent,” Nyale said.

They have rivals. Acrobatic troupes have materialized in other parts of the city. Across town, a group including 28-year-old Jackson Okoth entertained motorists along Lang'ata Road.

“There are no opportunities for us that we can go to, so we like it when we are here because it keeps us busy and it keeps us fit also,” Okoth said. “Instead of staying at home and doing reckless things, we decided to come here and perform for motorists and pedestrians.”

Okoth dreams of playing in a professional circus and touring the world.

“I am still on my way, I am still trying, I am still working hard so that one day things might go well and I may find myself in Europe performing in a circus show,” he said.

Some motorists see the acrobats as a nuisance. Others welcome the distraction.

“They are a source of entertainment here on the road. They entertain us and we feel good,” said Geoffrey Kioi, a Nairobi entrepreneur who regularly gives tips to the acrobats. “They are young people. They need to hustle. They are like my sons.”

Acrobats cross a busy street as they perform in traffic in Nairobi, Kenya, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Acrobats collect contributions from motorists after a short performance in a busy street amid by traffic in Nairobi, Kenya, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Acrobats perform in a busy street amid by traffic in Nairobi, Kenya, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Acrobats perform in a busy street amid by traffic in Nairobi, Kenya, Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Acrobats perform on a street in Nairobi, Kenya, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

VIENNA (AP) — The U.N. atomic watchdog’s board on Wednesday reported Iran to the U.N. Security Council for the first time in 20 years for failure to cooperate in a long-running investigation into uranium traces detected by inspectors at various undeclared sites in Iran.

Twenty-three countries on the IAEA’s 35-member board of governors voted for the resolution at IAEA headquarters in Vienna.

China, Russia and Niger opposed it, while eight countries abstained and one didn’t vote as it was in arrears, according to diplomats who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the outcome of the closed-door vote.

The resolution was put forward by the United States, Britain, France and Germany.

The diplomatic move has been under consideration since June 2025, when the IAEA board found Iran officially in noncompliance with its nonproliferation obligations because of Tehran’s lack of cooperation in a long-running investigation into uranium traces detected by inspectors at various undeclared sites in Iran.

Western officials suspect that the uranium traces could provide further evidence that Iran had a secret nuclear weapons program until 2003.

Iran says that it’s not pursuing nuclear weapons, and its program is entirely peaceful.

Iran’s referral to the U.N. Security Council comes amid a further escalation in the U.S. war with Iran.

The U.S. this week destroyed five Iranian oil tankers and Tehran hit back at American targets in Jordan, the latest burst of back-and-forth strikes that have lurched the sides back toward open hostilities in a more than 6-month-old war.

Reporting Iran to the U.N. Security Council now shifts the responsibility to a higher authority that is able to enact further measures, including sanctions or asset freezes.

But specific punitive measures by the U.N. are unlikely in this case since Iran’s allies Russia and China hold veto power on the U.N. Security Council.

FILE - The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) flag flies during a special session of an IAEA Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, Austria, March 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Heinz-Peter Bader, File)