KBC MD seeks govt intervention in settling historical debts

There is need to amend the Kenya Broadcasting Act cap 221 for the establishment of an efficient public service broadcaster and shield Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) from competition says Managing Director, Dr. Naim Bilal.

Appearing before the Senate Committee on ICT Wednesday morning, KBC MD also urged the government to advertise with KBC to boost revenue base and improve public confidence.

Dr. Bilal also sought government intervention to rescue the cash strapped corporation from the burden of historical debts amounting to nine billion shillings by proposing a bailout spread across five years.

According to the MD, KBC is only receiving 436 million shillings annually against the expected amount of 1.8 billion shillings, an amount he termed too little in the face of the corporation’s great financial obligations.

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Dr. Bilal noted that KBC needs the government intervention to acquire titles for land under its trust.

He said failure by the corporation to acquire legal ownership of its vast land has led to encroachment especially in Komarock in Machakos County and Yala in Siaya County.

KBC is also seeking government’s permission to sell some parcels of land under its trust to raise 2.4 billion shillings to offset the growing debt including non-remittance of employees’ statutory deductions.

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