Chania Buses Limited is a Kenyan public service transport company located in Nairobi. It’s head offices are are River Road, near Kenol Kobil Petrol Station.
The company was founded in December 2011 and has since grown to boast a huge fleet of buses and offer competition to other prior existing companies.
The company boasts a variety of buses, a majority of them are acquired from local bus assembling plants in the country.
Some of the brands within their fleet include Mercedes Benz, Scania, Isuzu, and Man buses. They are all tailored to meet the demand, and satisfaction of travelers as well as stay competitive.
Some of the modifications in the buses include: 2 By 2 reclining seats, enough legroom, charging systems, television services & music system, air conditioners in some of the buses, free WiFi services in some buses, and adequate overhead luggage carriers.
Owner
The company is owned by Joseph Kariuki who founded it in December 2011. He is the Chairman of the Chania Special Travellers Sacco buses.
Routes
Nairobi to Mombasa
Nairobi to Malindi
Nairobi to Thika, Thika-Nairobi-Mombasa
Nairobi to Nyeri, Nyeri to Mombasa
Arson tragedy
In 2018, the company suffered a huge loss after about 13 of their buses were set on fire while parked at a garage along Kenyatta Road, Juja, Kiambu County.
Initially there were allegations that the fire might have been planned as to collect insurance claim from the insurer but police dismissed the claims after establishing the buses were insured through a third party company and therefore there would be no compensation in case of a fire.
“From our investigations so far, we have found that he insured the buses under third party premium, which means that he cannot be paid in the event of a fire,” Juja Officer Commanding Police Division Simon Thirikwa stated then.
Kariuki at the time stated that an individual with ulterior motives planned and executed the arson attack, targeting the busses plying the Thika-Nairobi-Mombasa route.
He stated that he had lost buses worth Ksh70 million to the fire.
“I have now been taken back to square one. What happened is very shocking. It is my hope that the police will conduct thorough investigations,” he stated.
“I have insured my buses through third party premium, which means in such circumstances, I cannot be paid,” he noted.
KeNHA row
On July 7, 2021, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) was ordered to pay the bus company Ksh850,000 for detaining one of their buses without following proper laws.
Mombasa Resident Judge Eric Ogola, ruled that KeNHA had overstepped on its mandate by detaining the bus for allegedly carrying excess passengers.
“I find and hold that KeNHA violated the law and acted in excess of the powers vested upon them.
“The petitioner be and is hereby awarded the sum of Ksh850,000, as damages suffered from the loss of business from the said vehicle for 34 days at Ksh25,000 per day,” Justice Ogola ruled.
He further stated that KeNHA had infringed on the company’s right of ownership by detaining the bus for that many days.
“The petitioner was deprived of the use of his property without being accorded a hearing. The weighing ticket and prohibition order served upon the petitioner’s driver did not amount to an explanation as to why the vehicle was being seized,” he stated.
The bus had been intercepted at Dongo Kundu in Mombasa, and officers allegeddly demanded Ksh109,825 to release the bus.
