A disgruntled Blankets & Wine concertgoer is now heading to court to seek damages after the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) closed its investigation into his complaint and advised him to pursue the matter in court.
Francis Wanjiku lodged the complaint on October 7, 2025, days after attending the September 28 edition of the festival, which came under widespread public criticism over what many attendees described as shambolic organisation and poor service.
He claimed he had paid for a premium ticket dubbed ‘Soft Life ticket’, expecting an experience of a lifetime, but ended up disappointed.
In his complaint, he accused the organisers of promising more than they could deliver during their marketing campaign. Francis said he felt tricked and cheated into buying one of the most expensive tickets only to get a raw deal.
Following his complaints, the authority began its investigation by summoning the organisers of the 17-year-old Festival founded by rapper and cultural entrepreneur Muthoni Ndonga, popularly known as MDQ.
Kenyan rapper Muthoni The Drummer Queen performs during Blankets & Wine at Laureate Gardens, Nairobi, on April 7, 2024.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
Francis alleged that despite raking in millions from ticket sales, vendor fees, and major sponsors such as Hennessy, East African Breweries, Spotify, Velo, and luxury car dealer Prestige Motors, the event fell short, particularly for those who bought premium packages.
In its advisory letter released this week and seen by Nation Lifestyle, the authority noted that while its efforts to have the two parties settle the matter amicably failed, it did not have the power to penalise the event, noting that only the courts can offer the remedies which he sought.
“The Authority conducted a preliminary assessment of the complaint. Further, through a meeting held on 1st December, 2025, the Authority invoked Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and required Blankets and Wine to engage with you with a view to resolving the matter amicably. Blankets and Wine were required to reach out to you to pursue a resolution. They were also required to ensure that their Terms and Conditions for all future events clearly describe the experience associated with each ticket category and are disclosed to consumers before ticket purchase. An amicable resolution was not reached, and the Authority proceeded to investigate the matter.” The letter reads in part.
Francis told Nation Lifestyle that neither Blankets $ Wine nor its sister company, GoodTime Africa, had contacted him.
“We have never spoken after our CAK meeting,” Francis said on the phone.
Revelers during Blankets and Wine event at Laureate Gardens in Nairobi on September 28, 2025.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
In its investigation, to establish whether GoodTimes Entertainment Limited T/A Blankets & Wine (“Blankets & Wine”) violated the provisions of the Act on consumer welfare, the authority came to this conclusion:
“The complaint was assessed pursuant to Article 46(1)(a), (b) and (c) of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010 and Sections 55(a)(ii) and 55(b)(v) of the Act, which prohibit false or misleading representations, and Section 56(1) of the Act, which prohibits unconscionable conduct.”
“Upon reviewing and analysing the information submitted by you and Blankets & Wine, the Authority is of the considered view that the circumstances of the case and the relief sought, namely a refund of the premium price paid for the Soft Life ticket, require an assessment of the experience provided against the terms and conditions published by Blankets & Wine. The experience associated with a Soft Life ticket category is not objectively prescribed to a standard against which false or misleading representations as contemplated under Sections 55(a)(ii) and 55(b)(v) of the Act can be assessed. Accordingly, the circumstances do not, in themselves, establish a false or misleading representation for purposes of the Act. Rather, the matter concerns the interpretation and performance of the agreed terms.”
In that regard, CAK advised Francis to seek ‘justice’ in the courts.
The Blankets and Wines' administrative team's Diane Ywaya (communications manager) talks on the podium as Muthoni Ndonga (founder and creative director), Justine Mbugua (head of festivals), and Michelle Njeri (brand and marketing manager) follow at Nairobi Street Kitchen in Westlands on October 29, 2025.
Photo credit: Thomas Rajula | Nation Media Group
“This falls outside the scope of the Authority’s consumer protection mandate under Part VI of the Competition Act, Cap. 504. A dispute concerning the experience or interpretation of those contractual Terms may best be pursued before a court of competent jurisdiction. In view of the above, the Authority will proceed to close the matter.”
Dissatisfied, Francis says he has no other choice but to move to the courts, maintaining that he still feels cheated and duped by Blankets and Wine.
“I have never seen their response. They were not offering anything, so I concluded they were just wasting my time. I will now be moving to appeal the decision by CAK at the Competition Appeal, to seek appropriate remedies and compensation,” he told Nation Lifestyle.
Besides seeking compensation for himself, Francis is also pushing for full refunds for all attendees of the well-attended event, said to have attracted over 3,000 revellers.
Attendance at the festival is estimated to have been between 8,000 and 20,000, based on contrasting figures from a PR agency involved in the event and a ticketing insider.
Ticket prices ranged from Sh5,000 for regular entry to Sh12,000 for the ‘Soft Life’ VIP experience, while the lavish Hennessy Terrace package went for Sh60,000 for a group of four.
When Nation Lifestyle broke the news about this case, MDQ held a press conference two weeks later at the Nairobi Street Kitchen, where she insisted she had not received any summons.
“We have officially not received any legal summons. We learned of this information through the media. Should we receive any notice from the Authority, we will follow due process,” she said.
Blankets & Wine later issued a public notice in response to the online uproar that followed, with the organisers acknowledging several operational failures.
Among the issues cited were digital payment congestion, inadequate bar staffing, and a poorly configured VIP layout.
