Media personality Willis Raburu has filed a lawsuit against East African Breweries Limited (EABL), accusing the regional beverage company of failing to pay him for gigs conducted more than a year ago.

Raburu said he had attempted to resolve the dispute privately but was forced to turn to the courts after months of unsuccessful engagements.

Speaking during a public briefing, Raburu emphasized that he had tried to follow all available avenues before escalating the matter.

“Gathering here, mine will be very brief, really, because it has been over a year,” he said, noting that the payment issue had persisted far longer than expected.

He added that he had hoped to keep the issue out of the public domain but felt compelled to act.

“We have engaged professionally, tried to follow the proper channels, tried to follow the proper methods, tried to keep this out of the public eye, but now we have decided to move to court,” Raburu stated.

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Calls for Respect for Creatives

Raburu stressed that taking legal action was not just a personal fight but a stand for all creatives in Kenya.

“People must begin to respect the creators of this country,” he said, urging both major corporations and SMEs to treat creatives fairly.

He further noted that despite the media industry’s reliance on sponsorships from big companies, that should not intimidate people seeking justice.

“This is the big corporations, the SMEs, everybody must begin to respect the creators of this country, that does not mean that because of that, we cower away in fear, because injustice is injustice,” he added.

Encourages Other Creatives to Speak Out

Raburu encouraged fellow creatives facing similar difficulties to take action.

“I just ask all other creatives as well to take note of such bold steps, and to also encourage themselves, that if you’re also out there and you’re going through the same thing, to take the necessary steps,” he said.

He also pointed out that protections exist for those who seek to pursue claims legally.

“The support exists to protect, and therefore take the necessary steps as well, so that we form a country where respect for creatives remains paramount,” he noted.

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Concerns Over Delayed Payments

The former Citizen TV journalist highlighted what he termed as systemic failures affecting payments to creatives.

“It cannot be that there are policy issues only when it is time to pay a creative,” he said, calling out delays often attributed to internal vendor issues.

He added, “Vendors should not suffer when it is now time to pay a creative, especially when there are systematic failures.”

Raburu concluded by reaffirming his commitment to advocating for the industry.

“This move is for the creatives of this country, and I hope that as I have done before, I will continue to stand and fight with creatives to the very end,” Raburu concluded.

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Former Citizen TV Journalist Willis Raburu. PHOTO/ Raburu Instagram