By Andrew Kariuki
Wananchi Group (K) Limited has been issued with a statutory demand for payment of Ksh46.9 million, exposing the company to potential liquidation proceedings if the debt is not settled within the prescribed period.
The demand was filed by CP Cables Limited under the Insolvency Act, 2015, and lodged before the Commercial and Tax Division of the High Court in Nairobi in Insolvency Cause No. E017 of 2026.
CP Cables contends that the amount constitutes an outstanding commercial debt owed by Wananchi and has given the company 21 days to either pay the sum, secure it to the creditor’s satisfaction, or demonstrate that there exists a valid dispute, counterclaim or set-off.
Court documents indicate that payment is to be made directly to CP Cables or through its advocates, Madhani Advocates LLP.
Failure to comply, the creditor warns, will trigger an application for liquidation orders against Wananchi.
The statutory demand, dated February 6, 2026, was issued pursuant to Section 384(1) of the Insolvency Act and the relevant regulations.
Under Kenyan insolvency law, non-compliance with a statutory demand within the stipulated period is deemed evidence that a company is unable to pay its debts as they fall due.
Wananchi operates the Zuku brand, offering pay television, broadband internet and digital services and is a subsidiary of Wananchi Group Holdings, which is majority-owned by Axian Telecom.
Axian Telecom, a Mauritius-based pan-African telecommunications group, has expanded its footprint in Kenya through Wananchi, positioning the firm as a major player in the country’s digital and fibre-optic services market.
The insolvency demand comes against the backdrop of mounting pressure on companies in the telecommunications and media sector, which continues to grapple with rising operational costs and intense competition.
Should Wananchi fail to respond within the 21-day statutory window, CP Cables would be entitled to move the High Court for liquidation orders, a development that could have far-reaching consequences for the company and its parent group.
