IEBC CEO Marjan Hussein Marjan has been found in contempt of court for failing to honour a longstanding Ksh.200 million debt owed to an advertising agency, throwing the commission back into the spotlight over financial accountability.
Highlights:
- IEBC owes over Ksh.245M to advertising firm Scanad Africa
- Only Ksh.50M paid, with the rest excluded from budgets
- Court finds CEO Marjan deliberately ignored payment directive
- Marjan to appear in court for sentencing on September 30, 2025
Main Story:
The High Court has ruled that Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) CEO Marjan Hussein Marjan is in contempt for failing to comply with a 2021 order requiring the commission to pay Ksh.245 million to Scanad Africa Ltd for advertising services rendered ahead of the 2017 elections.
Judge Roselyne Aburili found that the CEO acted in defiance of the court’s clear directive, even after partial payment of Ksh.50 million was made in December 2023.
The court noted that despite being aware of the legal obligation, the IEBC failed to include the remaining balance of Ksh.195 million in subsequent budgets. This, according to the judge, was a “deliberate omission” that amounts to contempt.
Marjan’s explanation that the debt was listed as a pending bill and that IEBC had communicated with the Treasury was dismissed for lacking proof of active steps taken to fulfill the court order.
The court has now summoned Marjan to appear on September 30, 2025, to give mitigating factors before sentencing. The ruling adds to the scrutiny on the IEBC’s leadership, already grappling with public trust issues and concerns over transparency.
Even the highest offices must obey the law—because when justice is ignored, public trust crumbles.
