Nairobi’s streets and social media timelines have become theatres of flashy lifestyles, but City Hall executive Geoffrey Mosiria is calling out what he says is a dangerous illusion masking deceit, crime and broken dreams among the youth chasing quick wealth.
The Nairobi County Executive Committee Member for Citizen Engagement and Customer Service spoke after spending time with popular forex trader Manka FX, using the moment to draw a sharp line between genuine online trading and elaborate scams destroying lives.
In a TikTok video shared on Thursday, January 1, 2026, Mosiria said forex trading itself is not the problem, insisting there are disciplined young Kenyans earning honest incomes through legitimate platforms and consistent market knowledge.
He singled out Manka FX as an example of transparency, revealing that the trader openly showed him his live trading account, balances and transaction history to demonstrate that his success was not built on deception.
Mosiria added that Manka FX even promised to send him Ksh100,000 to publicly prove that his earnings are real, saying such openness is rare among individuals who truly understand how forex markets operate.
However, the county official warned that a growing number of youths are exploiting the forex label to scam others while parading fake wealth, luxury outfits, club hopping and expensive drinks to lure unsuspecting followers.
According to Mosiria, many of these individuals do not even understand how trading accounts function, yet they aggressively market themselves online as successful traders, creating unrealistic expectations among jobless and struggling youths.
He lamented that some scammers go further by illegally accessing other people’s bank or online accounts and transferring money to themselves, actions that have damaged the credibility of genuine forex traders.
Mosiria noted that he has personally interacted with real traders who patiently explained market principles to him, sharply contrasting them with fraudsters whose only “skill” is lifestyle exhibition and manipulation of social media audiences.
The county executive also raised alarm over what he described as a disturbing trend he labelled “another type of forex”, involving men engaging in deceptive same-sex relationships purely for financial gain.
He claimed that some men receive money from foreign partners and later pose as women upon meeting them physically, calling the practice unethical, misleading and harmful to young people seeking quick wealth shortcuts.
Mosiria warned that such behaviour sends dangerous messages, pressuring youths to compromise values, identity and mental health in pursuit of money they believe guarantees happiness and social acceptance.
He further observed that exposure to fake online wealth has pushed some youths into depression, while others turn to betting and gambling, hoping to replicate the flashy lifestyles they constantly see on social media.
The official cautioned that betting only deepens financial struggles, urging young people to avoid comparing themselves with online personalities whose wealth sources remain questionable or outright criminal.
Mosiria encouraged youths to focus on genuine work, skills development and patience, stressing that sustainable wealth is built gradually and honestly, not through fraud, betting or deceptive relationships.
His message comes amid growing concern over online scams in Nairobi, with authorities increasingly warning that the glamorisation of fraud is eroding trust, distorting ambition and placing vulnerable young people at serious risk.
