Board’s move spells doom for outdoor advertising

By Winsley  Masese

The decision by Kenya Roads Board (KRB) to source for outdoor advertising along the Northern Corridor  has caused jitters in the industry.

The board is seeking a consultant to design, install and manage billboards along the corridor.

According to the advert,  the consultant will test, commission billboards, sell advertising space and manage the outdoor business on behalf of the board. 

According to the advert, the billboards are a potential source of revenue to help the agency  maintain roads.

“This shall be a pilot project and is expected to be rolled over to other areas upon satisfactory performance of the project,” the notice read in part.

This, has, however, stirred the fury of outdoor firms who have questioned the intent of giving the business to only one company.

“If one company is given this, what then happens other companies?” wondered a source, who asked not to be named.

 The source warned of a scheme to create a monopoly and deny consumers the advantage of choice.

“The winner would have the exclusive rights to manage all the advertisements along the Northern Corridor, which runs from Mombasa to Malaba,” according to the source.

“The winner in the bidding would have the exclusive rights to manage all the advertisements along the Northern Corridor, which runs from Mombasa to Malaba,” the source said, adding that the move spells doom for many firms in outdoor advertising.