Star Times Accused Of Bribing Govt. Officials For Operating License

Chinese Pay Television Company, Star Times has been accused of bribery in a Nairobi court by the CEO of Nation Media Group (NMG) in a case that has delayed the countries digital migration.
In a sworn statement, Linus Githi’s, the group CEO of NMG, claimed that Star Times issued 5% of their shareholding to government officials in exchange for obtaining licenses. According to the NMG’s lawyer, Paul Muite, a joint application for licensing by Nation Media and Royal Media had been dismissed for a lack of a bond of 500,000 about $5,700 yet the Nation and Royal Media had the financial capacity to do so. NMG is the largest media house in East and Central Africa. “We are questioning why the licensing is being done in a discriminatory manner,” Muite submitted.
The suit in Kenya is the latest in a series of troubles for the Chinese pay television operator. In neighboring Uganda, Star Times has been taken to court by the Uganda Consumer Protection Association for allegedly selling over 150,000 obsolete DVB T1 decoders.
In Zambia, the company had a tender award revoked after accusations of irregularities in the way the tender was awarded while, in South Africa, the company is facing calls from civil action groups to have its operating license cancelled after allegedly buying into a local pay television and introducing P0*nographic content.
They still maintain good fortune in Nigeria where many are desperate for an alternative to DSTV which has been accused lately of services subscribers claim are too poor for their exorbitant charges.
Star times denies the bribery allegations in the Kenyan case as the case continues.

Category: