IEBC taken to court hours after declaring Uhuru president-elect

dennis kibet

October 31, 2017 11:45 AM

IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba may face jail term after the suit filed in court.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has been sued just hours after declaring Uhuru Kenyatta President-Elect.

Transcend Media has taken IEBC to court for failing to pay Sh150 million for advertising services during the 2013 General Election.

The firm also wants IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba who is said to be away on leave, be held responsible and jailed in the suit.

This is the second time Transcend Media is suing the electoral commission.

In 2014, the firm filed a suit in which it stated that it booked print and electronic adverts on behalf of media companies, which threatened legal action to enforce the payment .

The firm claims that it published in the media lists of all polling stations at a cost Sh106.7 million, Sh23 million of which was was spent on publishing of the presidential results while a further Sh69 million accrued from a “revised media plan”.

“Despite written demands being made and notice of intention to institute legal proceedings being given, the defendant has failed, refused and/or otherwise neglected to pay the said sum of Sh198,787,892 or any part thereof thereby rendering this suit necessary,” says Transcend Media in the court document.

Transcend Media claimed it was contracted by United Nations Development (UNDP) to carry out a media campaign in print and electronic media for the IEBC in the run up to the 2013 elections.

During the 2017 elections, IEBC contracted Scanad Kenya Ltd, which had quoted Sh764.4 million for strategic communications and media campaigns, which included among others, traditional and social media campaigns and voter education.

That tender has been the subject of a court battle with Transcend which was again one one of the bidders after it quoted Sh477.4 million.

dennis kibet