Nairobi To Register Street Photographers And Introduce Official Badges

Street photographers in Nairobi will soon carry official identification badges under a new registration system the county government is rolling out, part of an effort to separate recognised creatives from those operating outside the law.

Governor Johnson Sakaja unveiled the plan on September 16 during a sit-down with photographers who work the city’s streets, framing it as a way to give them formal recognition while making it easier for the county to track and support the trade.

“The county will introduce a formal registration and identification system for street photographers, including badges, to distinguish recognised creatives operating in the city,” Sakaja told the gathering, adding that the move would also help the county “identify and support photographers while giving them a formal identity as they carry out their work.”

The plan didn’t come out of nowhere. Several photographers used the forum to air long-standing grievances, describing run-ins with county officers who allegedly demanded bribes or harassed them simply for doing their jobs on the street.

Sakaja pointed to a 2022 decision that first opened the door for photographers to work freely across the city, saying the new registration scheme builds on that groundwork and is meant to give young people a legitimate path into photography as a livelihood.

Nairobi wouldn’t be breaking new ground here; other cities have similar arrangements, though the specifics differ. London allows street photography broadly, but certain commercial shoots and street performances in designated zones still need council permits.

In India, anyone offering paid photography services near monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India often needs prior clearance or ID from the relevant authority.

On the money question, Sakaja was careful to draw a line: the county’s Finance Act doesn’t charge ordinary street photographers anything under the free-photography policy already in place. It’s only “heavy” commercial photography work that attracts county fees, and those can run as high as Ksh50,000.

Beyond the badges, the county is also pushing free Wi-Fi into select public spots, which Sakaja said should give photographers an easier way to promote their work and reach bigger audiences online.

There’s a civic angle to the plan too. County officials want to enlist photographers as informal watchdogs, flagging illegal dumping, littering, vandalism, and bad behaviour by matatu and boda boda operators as they move through the city.

Read Also :  Huduma Kenya Explains ID Registration Rules For Kenyans Without Birth Certificates