Media personality Willis Raburu has dragged East African Breweries PLC (EABL) and its events partner Game Changer Marketing Limited to the High Court, demanding Ksh10 million in unpaid fees for services he rendered during the hugely successful Furaha City Festival held in December 2024.
Through his company, Steizon Limited, Raburu filed the suit on Monday at the Milimani Commercial Court, accusing the Tusker maker and its agency of deliberate refusal to settle invoices despite repeated reminders and acknowledgement of the work done.
creation, and on-ground event hosting for the three-day carnival, which attracted over 120,000 revellers Court documents seen by this reporter show Steizon was contracted to handle digital amplification, influencer coordination, content creation and on-ground event hosting for the three-day carnival that attracted over 120,000 revellers to Uhuru Gardens.
Raburu claims he personally appeared on stage for eight hours across the festival days, secured 42 influencers with a combined reach of 18 million followers, and produced 127 pieces of branded content that generated 46 million impressions across Instagram, TikTok and X. “All deliverables were met and exceeded. EABL even used the content in their official 2024 end-of-year marketing report,” the filing states.
In a bold escalation, Steizon Limited has also filed an urgent application seeking orders to suspend or revoke EABL’s manufacturing and distribution licence until full payment is made, arguing that the brewer’s continued trading while owing local suppliers undermines the economy.
Lawyers led by senior counsel Philip Nyachoti told Justice Francis Tuiyot that the amount, though small for EABL, is substantial for a Kenyan-owned SME and that the company risks collapse if not paid before January salaries.
EABL has not yet filed a defence, but sources inside the Ngong Road headquarters say the finance team is treating the matter as a “routine supplier dispute” and expects an out-of-court settlement before the first mention date on January 15, 2026.
Game Changer Marketing Limited, the events agency that hired Steizon on behalf of EABL, claims it already paid Raburu’s company Ksh3.2 million in instalments and that the balance is tied to the final reconciliation of attendance numbers.
The case has sparked heated debate online. Content creators under the banner of the Digital Influencers Association of Kenya rallied behind Raburu, with chairperson Thee Pluto posting, “If EABL can delay a whole Willis Raburu, imagine what they do to upcoming creators.”
Meanwhile, some corporate communications professionals criticised the licence-suspension prayer as “commercial blackmail”, arguing it sets a dangerous precedent for any unpaid invoice.
Raburu himself addressed the issue briefly on his Instagram stories Tuesday morning, posting a screenshot of the court stamp with the caption “Sometimes you fight quietly, sometimes you fight publicly. 2026 budget loading.” His fans flooded the comment section with messages of support and memes of Tusker bottles crying.
As the festive season approaches, what began as a celebratory partnership for one of Kenya’s biggest December events has turned into a high-stakes courtroom drama that could reshape how brands pay local talent in 2026. For now, Willis Raburu remains on radio and television screens smiling as usual, but behind the scenes, the fight for his Ksh10 million continues.
