Imagine taking a photograph on a Nairobi street and being expected to prove that you are an authorised photographer. That could soon become reality as the Nairobi County Government moves to introduce registration and identification badges for street photographers.
Street photographers operating in Nairobi could soon be required to register with the county and obtain identification badges under a new system announced by the Nairobi County Government.
The initiative was announced by Governor Johnson Sakaja as part of efforts to formally identify photographers working across the city.
Under the proposed system, registered street photographers would receive badges that distinguish them from unregistered operators.
The move comes after photographers raised concerns about harassment and alleged demands for bribes while carrying out their work in Nairobi.
The county has also said photographers can help document issues affecting the city, including littering, illegal dumping, vandalism and certain violations involving matatus and boda bodas.
The initiative also comes with questions about how registration will work in practice and how the county will balance regulation with the livelihoods of photographers who depend on street photography for income.
