"I Always Meet Them Late at Night" A 9-Year Old Boy Spotted Tending to His Brother by the Road

A heart-wrenching video captured on the streets of Nairobi has ignited a fierce national debate regarding child labor, poverty, and the disintegration of the social safety net. The footage, which has garnered millions of views across TikTok and X (formerly Twitter), depicts a 9-year-old boy walking along a busy road late at night, carrying his infant brother strapped to his back.

The video, recorded by a concerned motorist, shows the young boy still in tattered school shorts navigating the shadows of a poorly lit bypass. When questioned, the boy revealed he was heading toward a nearby market to find his mother, who works as a vegetable vendor, because the baby would not stop crying at home. 

The sight of a child barely out of his own infancy performing the role of a primary caregiver in the dark of night has struck a raw nerve. The digital response has been split between profound empathy and sharp criticism of the state of the economy in 2026.

The debate has shifted toward the lack of affordable childcare for the urban poor. In many informal settlements, "baby-care" centers are either too expensive or close early, forcing school-going children to step in as surrogate parents.

As the authorities seek to identify the family, the viral moment serves as a somber reminder of the "invisible" children of Kenya’s streets. While the video has prompted many well-wishers to offer financial support, experts warn that without systemic changes to social welfare, this 9-year-old’s burden remains a common reality for thousands.