It’s Friday night in Nairobi. A group of young women can be seen trooping to the Central Business District (CBD).
Some of them are clad in short bodycon dresses, and rocking spandex leggings with oversized blouses. Most of the chest is out – ‘enduring the Nairobi cold’ – and ‘waving at Pneumonia’.
The girls are not alone. I can count a handful young men – and just like the girls – they are doing badly in the dressing department. It looks like a procession headed for a convention for ‘bad dressing’.
This is the life of Nairobi’s clubbing community on a normal weekend. The scenes are depressingly familiar; marred by drunkenness, sex, drugs and uncouth behaviour.
Most parents – sitting back at home watching TV – have no idea what is happening.
Back to these processions. There are many of them (boys and girls) rushing to town from every corner of Nairobi.
Most of the men look young – with no beards to advertise to the world that they are entering the grown-up’s territory. Their dressing style, speaking mannerism and walking style, is one that will attract attention from any strict parent.
“Many of us are here for ‘the girls’,” says Paul. Paul is part of the team. He is 23-years old.
There is no doubt that some of the girls are here ‘to make sure someone looks at them in that manner’. It’s like a completion for looks, who gets the most looks.
According to Paul, the party atmosphere starts on Friday evening as revellers start filling the streets of Nairobi at sunset, ready to kick off the fun.
This youth-driven social momentum continues to fuel a rise in inclusive club nights across Nairobi that focuses on serving young men and women.
“I come here with my friends every weekend. It’s all about partying and having fun,” says 20-year-old Diana from Dandora. Her friends call her ‘D’.
Inside the clubs – attendees can be seen sitting in groups, around tables, sipping drinks from a shared bottle of alcohol. Some of the guests, especially the girls, can be seen ‘violating’ wine – copious amounts of wine.
It’s only 10pm – and the dance floor is already playing host to thousands of sweaty youths – shaking every available born in their human skeleton. Most of them are already half drunk – and are beginning to lose their heads and manners.
A skinny girl, clad in an elephant size leather jacket, and boasting a more than average size afro, hops up onto one of the tables, swaying and singing along to some famous song.
The bouncer approaches her – after a good one minute. The little girl threatens to beat up the bouncer if he dares touch her skin. A few minutes later she is thrown out of the club – everyone has had enough of her – including her friends. It’s nearly midnight… she is alone on the streets with only her big earrings and afro keeping her company.
A man wearing shiny shoes – and tattooed in almost every part of his body, save for his tongue, goes out to check out on the ‘earring girl.’
He finds her sobbing in another man’s arms – a tall stranger in a cap and annoyingly tight shorts.
Meanwhile, a bouncer is forced to ‘politely’ escort a young man out of the club because he is becoming a nuisance. A little commotion is heard – but its quickly drowned in the loud music. No one seems to notice the young man being hoisted like a flag before being thrown out of the door.
“Let him go home. He gets very stupid once drunk,” offers Diana — who just recently finished her secondary education.
I ask why she is not in school.
“My mother is unable to raise school fees at the moment. She struggled to educate me through secondary school on her own, and now she is educating my siblings. I don’t want to stress her,” she says.
Diana refuses to talk about her father. She says she cannot remember his face. Our little discussion has to be shouted – because of the loud music – which makes talking quite a hustle in such an environment. So, I sit and observe.
Outside – a young man can be seen lying on the tarmac – vomiting everything he has ever eaten.
“Ni mara yake ya kwanza kugonga tei,” (It’s his first time to take alcohol) offers a young lady. She was dressed like Whitney Houston. She tries to wake him up from his drunken stupor.
The young man has passed out – and has no idea where his little body is at this point in time.
A fight almost breaks out between a group of young men surrounded by these skimpily dressed girls – but is quickly contained.
Where do these young people get money to burn?
Most of them say they pool resources together over the week to spend on weekends.
Others – especially those that come from privileged families, spend their parent’s money – often given to them as monthly stipend.
The night is wearing out. A lot is happening outside of the clubs – and on the streets. The good police officers, genuine ones, are combing the streets arresting any moving thing.
Just a few metres away – three young men and two young women can be seen being shepherded into a waiting police van. Police do it every weekend. It’s a fulltime job.
One young woman – in an attempt to evade the police – breaks into one hell of running.
She wobbles downwards towards a darkened alley. She was drunk – and had no idea if the alley was heading towards Githunguri.
Their friends – melt back into the club in a huff where there is some immunity from police arrest.
According to Robert, a bouncer in one of the clubs in the capital, Nairobi nightlife gets wild over the weekend.
“Many young people come here to party wildly over the weekend. You will find girls, young girls, and boys blacked out on the veranda’s and pavements at 2am,” he says.
“The adults have no idea what’s happening, because they are at home. Some of the girls are students in campuses and colleges around Nairobi. There are no adults to watch them. Most of their parents or guardians are in the villages, or working in other towns,” he says.
Many told Wananchi Reporting that Nairobi CBD turns into a Sodom and Gomorrah during weekends – with most of the participants being young people.
Parents are advised to constantly talk to their children especially when they suspect that they could be engaging in harmful activities out there; like drug abuse, alcoholism and premarital sex.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to personally keep lines of communication open, listen calmly to their children – knowing too well that they might have to try a few times before they finally open up.
“If you’re calm and positive, you will have an open and honest conversation with your child,” says Lencer Mbidi, a teacher and parent in Nairobi.
Many parents or guardians get it wrong because they often blame, lecture and criticise their children – which them to fight back and often just shut up in their own little world.
Psychologist Grace Nyambura agrees that there is a big problem in the current society.
“Many young people aged between 16 years and 20 years are increasingly grappling with drugs, alcohol, bhang and wild partying. It’s a big problem many parents are silently dealing with at home,” says Nyambura.
Adding that: “This is a changing generation. It’s a totally different generation.”
What should parents do?
“Parents should first lead by example. You cannot tell your child to shun alcohol, bhang, drugs and wild partying when this is what you do daily, and they see.
“Many children will do what they see their parents do, because you are often their first role model,” she says.
According to Nyambura, parents should sit down with their children and teach them good ways.
“Talk to them about the value of being independent minded. Let them know that they can make decisions without having to rely on their friends. Teach them to lead a life separate from their friends. Many children cannot make decision on their own, they want to rely on their friends. This is what we call peer pressure,” says Nyambura.
“Do not just tell your child not to take drugs and engage in wild partying, but give them reasons, and demonstrate to them why they must shun certain behaviour.”
Reports indicate that many children often get money, drugs and alcohol from their older siblings.
Others spend pocket money given to them by their parents to fuel illicit activities.
“Young people have easy access to money these days. Many make their own money online through betting and content creation. This money often ends ‘kwa Kupiga Sherehe’,” says Nyambura.
“Parents and the society have to come together to help young men and women to navigate the tricky terrain that is the modern society,” says Nyambura.
