I do not own Keroche Breweries, Tabitha Karanja says

Keroche Breweries Ltd Chief Executive Officer Tabitha Karanja Keroche has denied ownership of the company.

Tabitha Keroche made the revelation in reply to a suit filed by a Nakuru politician seeking to bar her from contesting the Nakuru Senate seat in the August General Elections.

“I am employed by Keroche Breweries Limited as a Director and CEO but I am not the owner of the company as alleged by the petitioner,” stated Tabitha in her affidavit through Kabugu and Company Advocates.

Daniel Mahiri, in the petition filed through lawyer Jinaro Kimutai, wants the court to find Mrs Karanja unsuitable to hold public office.

Mahiri was a senatorial seat aspirant but lost to Tabitha in the primaries. He claims that since 2006, Keroche has been accused in numerous cases of crimes related to tax evasion.

Tabitha in her reply filed said Mahiri is “a loser and is not motivated by ethics or ideals” as he claims in his petition. She added that his motivation is selfish and aimed at eliminating competition for personal gains.

She, however, admits that the company has pending tax disputes with Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) as is the case with most businesses and other taxpayers in the country.

The dispute, she said, is of legal nature contesting an array of tax impositions and rules of engagement with the taxman.

Tabitha noted that she is a stranger to the admissions of tax liability alleged by Mahiri but aware of the ongoing negotiations between the company and KRA to resolve pending tax disputes.

“In any event, I do not understand what the tax relations of Keroche Breweries Limited have to do with me as a private person distinct from the company,” she said.