Why many Kenyans hesitate to help strangers and victims of accidents and crime

It has become a sad, recurring scene across Kenyan towns and cities to see an injured person lying by the roadside, a crowd gathering and no one stepping forward to help. What used to be an instinctive act of mercy is increasingly treated as a risk, especially for men who try to assist women or children.

Many people fear helping strangers in need. This fear comes from stories of good Samaritans who ended up in trouble with the law after offering assistance. For example, some people who rushed victims of accidents or violence to hospital were later treated as suspects. Others say helping a woman or child can be especially risky. What starts as kindness can quickly turn into accusations of assault, defilement or even murder.

Several first-hand accounts and community posts capture the fear clearly: Good Samaritans who rushed bleeding victims to hospital only to be dragged into lengthy police investigations. Passersby who were accused of wrongdoing after trying to help. And stories of alleged staged-managed incidents that leave helpers out of pocket and, in some cases, facing criminal charges. 

These experiences have created a chilling effect. People say they would rather call an ambulance from a distance or worse, simply take out their phones to record the incident rather than get directly involved.

Today, Kenyans admit that recording a tragedy feels “safer” than rescuing the victim. Videos of road accidents, assaults or collapsed patients often circulate online within minutes, but the same scenes show bystanders holding back, fearful of being mistaken for perpetrators if they intervene.

Why the hesitation?

• Fear of false allegations

Many men say they worry that helping a woman or child could lead to accusations of sexual assault or defilement, particularly if the victim later dies or changes their account.

• Lengthy, intrusive police procedures

Bystanders who assist victims frequently report being required to file statements, present identification, have their vehicles impounded when involved in road incidents and then endure protracted investigations.

• Criminal opportunism and staged incidents

Scams that exploit kindly passersby, such as people who feign illness or injury to extract cash, have been blamed for eroding trust.

• Lack of clear legal protections

Citizens and activists point to the absence (or poor public knowledge) of protections for those who act in good faith. The perceived odds of being treated as a suspect rather than a rescuer weigh heavily on people’s choices.

The consequences

The immediate cost is human: untreated injuries, delayed emergency care and avoidable deaths. On a social level, the breakdown of mutual aid reduces community cohesion. Neighbours stop looking out for each other. And for the few who still step in, the risk of harassment, extortion or legal entanglement remains a strong deterrent.

As one resident summed it up: “You can save a life or you can save yourself from jail. Most people nowadays choose to save themselves.”

A fragile trust

Kenya remains a country of generous people, but trust has been eroded by a mix of opportunism, weak institutions and real cases of misuse. Rebuilding the safety for helpers requires both legal reform and cultural repair: systems that safeguard those who act in good faith and a renewed social expectation that we look out for one another.

Until then, the sight of Kenyans recording suffering strangers with their phones, instead of lending a hand, will remain a painful reflection of a society where fear has overtaken compassion.