WalkerTown Festival: EABL issues apology for event disarray, to refund cash spent on tickets

The East African Breweries Limited (EABL) has issued an apology after the second day of the WalkerTown Festival was marred by heavy rains that disrupted performances and left attendees disappointed. 

EABL had promised fans that the festival, which featured American singer Lauryn Hill and Kenyan rapper Nyashinsky, would be the biggest concert of 2024. However, the two-day show was marred by hitches that included a stampede on Saturday night.

Come Sunday, which was day two of the festival, attendees arrived at the venue full of excitement, but their enthusiasm quickly turned to disappointment as heavy rains began to fall. 

Despite the rains, concert-goers were hopeful that the performances would go on as planned. However, delays began to pile up, affecting the schedule and ultimately the overall experience of the festival.

In a statement released on Monday, EABL acknowledged the disruption and apologised for the circumstances. The firm also expressed regret for the delayed performance of Lauryn Hill and cancellation of Nyashinski's set, both of which were highly anticipated by fans.

EABL explained that technical problems, exacerbated by heavy rains and difficult conditions, severely affected the event's sound system.

“Despite our best efforts, unforeseen technical challenges—particularly due to the rain and other conditions—affected our sound system, causing significant delays. This resulted in the delayed performance by Miss Lauryn Hill and, regrettably, the cancellation of our brand partner Nyashinski’s performance,” a press statement read. 

“We will be issuing a 100 percent refund to all ticket holders for Day Two of the WalkerTown 2024 Festival within the next two weeks.”

After waiting until 3am, Lauryn Hill was forced to perform with very poor sound. She also struggled throughout her set.

EABL has reassured day two attendees that refunds of the full cash value of their tickets will be issued within the next two weeks, which the firm says underlines its commitment to fairness and maintaining the trust of its audience.

“We sincerely apologise to all our valued festival goers, suppliers, artistes, and stakeholders for the disruptions experienced during day two of the WalkerTown festival. In light of these circumstances, we will be issuing a 100% refund to all ticket holders for Day Two of the WalkerTown 2024 Festival within the next two weeks. This is a reflection of our commitment to fairness and respect for the trust you placed in us,” read the statement.