Nairobi County Executive Committee Member for Citizen Engagement and Customer Service Geoffrey Mosiria marked Valentine’s Day by spending time with domestic workers in Kilimani, highlighting the struggles faced by women who provide laundry and housekeeping services to city residents.
Mosiria said he chose to celebrate love in a meaningful way by engaging the women—commonly known as mama fua—to hear firsthand accounts of their working conditions and treatment by clients.
According to the county official, many shared painful experiences, including being underpaid or denied wages after completing tasks.
“Some narrated how they are promised jobs, only for male clients to later attempt to force them into immoral situations. When they refuse, they are chased away without payment,” he said.
Despite the hardships, Mosiria described the women as resilient mothers striving daily to support their families with dignity.
To recognize their efforts, he presented Valentine’s gifts, including flowers and 5-kilogram bags of maize flour, as a gesture of appreciation and respect.
He emphasized that domestic workers remain a critical but often overlooked workforce in Nairobi’s urban economy, providing essential services to households while operating with limited protections.
Mosiria also urged law enforcement agencies to act swiftly against a foreign national accused of recording and exposing vulnerable Kenyan women for online content.
He termed the alleged acts illegal and inhumane, warning that exploiting women’s economic desperation for publicity or personal gain undermines their dignity and safety.
“No one should exploit or humiliate our women for content, clout, or personal gain,” he stated, calling for accountability and protection of vulnerable workers.
The county official appealed to society to treat domestic workers with respect and fairness, stressing that their work is honest and their struggles real.
He added that safeguarding their rights and dignity requires collective responsibility from employers, authorities, and the public.