Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chief Executive Officer Marjan Hussein Marjan has been found guilty of contempt of court for failing to pay a Ksh.200 million debt owed to advertising firm WPP Scangroup, stemming from services rendered during the 2017 General Election.
Justice Roselyne Aburili ruled that Marjan willfully disobeyed a 2021 court order requiring the IEBC to pay Ksh.245 million to Scanad Africa, a subsidiary of WPP Scangroup, for strategic communication and media services provided ahead of the polls. Although the commission acknowledged the debt and paid Ksh.50 million in December 2023, the court found the failure to budget for the remaining amount was both deliberate and unjustified.
“The applicant has proved to the required legal standard that the respondent is in contempt of court,” said Justice Aburili.
She directed Marjan to appear before her on September 30, 2025, for mitigation and possible sentencing.
In his defense, Marjan argued that the commission had categorized the debt as a pending bill and had requested direction and funding from the National Treasury. However, the court noted that no evidence was presented to demonstrate any concrete steps taken to comply with the court’s directive.
