The Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) has started preliminary investigations into Blankets & Wine, a live music festival, following complaints from a dissatisfied concertgoer.
Organisers of the event that was held on September 28, 2025 in Nairobi risk millions of shillings in penalties after a formal complaint was lodged with the CAK.
Lawyer Francis Wanjiku alleges that GoodTimes Africa, the company behind Blankets & Wine, failed to deliver on its promises by delivering a substandard event
The concert, which has been running for 17 years now, is the brainchild of rapper and entrepreneur Muthoni Ndonga, alias Muthoni The Drummer Queen (MDQ).
The complaint alleges that despite collecting millions of shillings from ticket sales, vendor fees and sponsors such as Hennessy, East African Breweries Limited, Spotify, Velo and Prestige Motors, fans who paid premium tickets had a disappointing experience.
The festival is estimated to have drawn between 8,000 and 20,000 attendees, based on conflicting figures provided by a public relations agency and a ticketing insider. Tickets were priced at Sh5,000 for regular attendees and Sh12,000 for the premium concertgoers, dubbed ‘Soft Life’ VIP experience.
The exclusive Hennessy Terrace package went for Sh60,000 for a group of four revelers.
Those who bought the ‘Soft Life’ ticket were promised reserved seating with private tables, dedicated bar service, prime stage views and exclusive access to a VIP lounge where guests could mingle with performing artistes.
“Soft Life, we guarantee the exclusivity of an experience, and you will love it,” Muthoni said in one of the event’s promotional videos.
However, Mr Wanjiku, who purchased a Soft Life ticket, says he was disappointed with the services and overall experience. He now wants the CAK to probe Blankets & Wine for "poor consumer welfare practices and unfair market conduct".
“I purchased a VIP (‘Soft Life’) ticket for Sh12,000, significantly higher than the general admission ticket at Sh4,500. This price difference led me to expect an enhanced experience, as implied by the premium designation,” Mr Wanjiku says in the complaint seen by Nation Lifestyle .
“I arrived at the Kasarani Laurent Grounds, where the event was taking place, at about 5pm. The entry was quite smooth. I arrived at the VIP section shortly thereafter. Certain elements of the event took me aback...The VIP section was too far from the stage, contrary to expected premium viewing standards. An undisclosed ‘VIP – Hennessy Experience’ section, advertised only three days prior, was placed between the stage and the VIP area, further increasing the distance without prior notice.”
“The VIP section had only one bar with no waiter service, resulting in wait times exceeding one hour for drinks. There was no mobile network or internet service...posing security risks, hindering digital payments (eg. M-Pesa) and complicating group coordination.”
Aside from the smooth entry at the gates, the only aspect Mr Wanjiku says he was satisfied with was the state of the toilets.
“While the toilets outside the VIP section were functional and well-lit, this does not offset the above deficiencies. I believe these issues constitute unfair trade practices and misleading conduct under Sections 55 (false or misleading representations) and 57 (unconscionable conduct in business transactions) of the Act. I request the Authority to investigate and consider appropriate remedies, including compensation.”
When contacted by Nation Lifestyle regarding whether they had filed a response to Mr Wanjiku's claims, the Blankets & Wine communications representative, Diane Ywaya, said: “We have no comment for now.”
“CAK is currently reviewing the complaint and will update the complainant accordingly within our Citizens’ Service Delivery Charter timelines,” he said.
Over the years, Blankets & Wine has grown into one of East Africa’s most recognisable lifestyle events, having expanded beyond Kenya to Uganda and Rwanda, and most recently, hosting its first-ever edition in the UK this September.
In 2024 alone, Blankets & Wine hosted three editions.
Once CAK finalises the investigations, Blankets & Wine could face a financial penalty of up to 10 percent of the festival’s gross annual turnover in Kenya from the immediately preceding year, to granting any other relief deemed appropriate and necessary.
