The Milimani Commercial Magistrate’s Court has ordered East African Breweries PLC (EABL) to deposit KSh10 million into a joint interest-earning account pending the hearing and determination of a commercial dispute involving media personality Willis Raburu and his company, Steizon Limited.
The order stems from a lawsuit filed by Steizon Limited against Game Changer Marketing Limited and EABL over an alleged unpaid KSh10 million contract for digital marketing, influencer management and event coordination services connected to the Furaha City Festival held in December 2024.
In court documents, Raburu stated that Steizon Limited was engaged under an oral agreement, which was later reduced into a draft contract, to provide influencer marketing, branding, logistics, communications and promotional services for the festival.
According to the company, it successfully delivered more than 60 social media reels, over 100 social media posts, coordinated 50 influencers, artists, logistics, media coverage, security and communications, generating a digital reach of more than one million users. Despite completing the work, Steizon claims it was never paid the agreed KSh10 million.
Game Changer Marketing denied entering into any separate agreement relating to the Furaha City Festival, maintaining that its only engagement with Steizon was during the earlier Chrome Campus Caravan (Wabebe Campus Activation) campaign, for which it says payment was made in full.
EABL also denied liability, arguing that the Furaha City Festival formed part of the Wabebe campaign and that no separate contract, purchase order or additional payment obligation existed between the parties.
In its application, Steizon sought interim orders compelling payment of the KSh10 million, the suspension of EABL’s operating licence and an order requiring the brewer to deposit the disputed amount as security pending the outcome of the case.
In its ruling, the court found that the matter raises significant issues, including whether a valid contract existed, whether the defendants are liable and whether the services provided formed part of a separate commercial engagement. The magistrate held that these questions can only be resolved during a full hearing of the case.
Consequently, the court declined to compel immediate payment of the disputed amount or suspend EABL’s operating licence.
However, it directed EABL to deposit KSh10 million into a joint account operated by lawyers representing both parties as security pending the final determination of the suit.
