Party Buses: An American culture on Kenyan roads

On the night of October 8, 2022, at least 12 people were killed in a freak bus accident on the Nanyuki-Meru road.

According to police, the accident at Subuiga, a known black spot, occurred when a bus, now clearly confirmed to be a popular Nairobi Party Bus, lost control and rammed into several other vehicles.

Some of the passengers died on the spot while others were pronounced dead in nearby hospitals where more than 30 others were hospitalised with varied injuries.

In the aftermath of the accident, whose gory details dominated social media and led many into a 'party bus' rabbit hole, Kenyans have now learned of a new phenomena they'd been either ignoring all along or paying fleeting attention to - Party Buses.

Over the past few years, the Party Bus revolution has slowly been entering the Nairobi market, with many city party-lovers booking their services to either ferry them out of town, host frivolous events, or just throw wild shindigs..

Unlike your everyday buses, party buses have become a booming hit among young party-lovers for a few things.

They come fully-equipped, giving you no reason to want, to need to stop to take a leak or even do a quickie purchase along the way.

These vehicles, much like American RVs (recreational vehicles), feature luxurious styling, often with leather sofas and funky upholstery designs. 

Most are opulently outfitted with a myriad of amenities including a large flat-screen television (40 inches or bigger), a DVD player, high-quality home entertainment system with surround sound, Wi-Fi, privacy blinders and, in extreme cases, a dance pole. 

Others go even further, bringing along video game systems, a fully-stocked minibar, a mini fridge, swanky leather couches, hardwood dance floor, iridescent disco lights, smoke machines and even, a karaoke machine.

A DJ booth, complete with a hype man, completes the vibe.

Generally, a party bus is a custom conversion of a regular touring bus and is basically a nightclub on wheels. 

Nairobians use the services of party buses to cruise down to either Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru or Naivasha for a weekend of uninhibited debauchery.

While there's still confusing reports on what exactly caused the Saturday night accident, considering all factors, Party Buses do have stricter business rules than your average passenger bus.

Most of these buses, especially in the US, where they originate, a few ground rules are always applied during and before the trip.

For instance, a driver must have commercial driver's license standards, driving motor vehicles, including hours of service.

Also, they require drug and alcohol testing programs, safety fitness procedures, training requirements, safety requirements for vehicles in operation, including inspections, parts and accessories, repairs, and maintenance.

Another common issue when it comes to party buses is underage drinking. However, there are laws specific to companies that operate party buses and laws that regulate the consumption of alcohol by underage passengers while riding in such a vehicle.

Citizen Digital has now discovered that at the time of the accident, the ill-fated Meru Party Bus did not have a valid inspection certificate as the one it was using had expired on July 15th, 2021. 

The vehicle, which operated as a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) by ferrying members of the public also lacked the Road Service License which contains the registration number, route served, contacts of the Sacco, Sacco name and expiry date of the license.

"You have to take a realistic approach and lay it out for the customer,” Chris Vecchio, owner of American-based ChiTown Party Bus, says. “If there is smoking on the bus, that is a fine. And if there’s damage to the bus, the client has to sign they are responsible.”

Also, Vecchio's ChiTown Party Bus doesn’t book pickups after 11pm. The proprietor also trains his drivers to stop the bus and pull over if they observe any unsafe behavior, and address the issue with the individual who booked the ride and signed the service contract.

Another such American operator, Tom Soliman of Starz Limousine in Anaheim, California, says regulating passengers comes with the territory in party bus work.

“We make sure everyone understands they can’t stand on the seats, there’s no leaning on windows, and all of our emergency exits and windows have driver alerts, so if they’re opened even a little bit, the driver will know and pull the bus over. You have to scare the client a little,” he said to a Los Angeles media outlet. “Go over everything and make them aware they have to be responsible.”

While the burgeoning industry is yet to gain a solid footing in Kenya, and in Nairobi in particular, a lot needs to be done to not only regulate the sector but also ensure the safety of Kenyans as they leave the town to whichever debauched location they are headed to.