Nakuru Senator Tabitha Karanja has resigned from her position as CEO of Keroche Breweries. During a press conference on Tuesday, Tabitha stated her intention to prioritize her service to the Nakuru residents who voted for her.
Potas Anaya, the Chief Financial Officer of Keroche, has been appointed as the new CEO, replacing Tabitha Karanja. Tabitha expressed that after leading the company for a period of 25 years, she believes it is now the appropriate moment for her to resign from her position as the captain of the company’s journey.
“I am now ready to wholeheartedly dedicate myself to the honor of serving as the Senator of Nakuru County and as the Deputy Leader of the Majority in the Senate, representing our remarkable nation,” she said.
She conveyed her utmost appreciation to all those who have accompanied her throughout the previous 25 years.
“I also believe I leave an organisation well- positioned to meet the opportunities and challenges of being a national and international leader in the Kenyan and African beverages industry,”she said.
Tabitha defied conventional norms and played a pivotal role in transforming Keroche Breweries into the first domestically established beer and alcoholic beverage producer in Kenya.
In recognition of her role as the founder of the Breweries, Tabitha received the esteemed Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (M.B.S.) Award in 2010 from the late former President Mwai Kibaki.
Despite her notable achievements, Keroche has been entangled in tax disputes with the Kenya Revenue Authority. In April 2023, Tabitha faced charges related to tax returns amounting to Sh14.5 billion. She appeared before Milimani senior principal magistrate Esther Kimilu and pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of tax evasion.
The prosecution sought to amend the charges, citing missing particulars in the 2019 charge sheet. The charge sheet alleges that between February 20, 2015, and January 20, 2016, both Tabitha and the company made incorrect statements in their excise duty returns, resulting in a reduction of duty by Sh1.8 billion.
Additionally, Tabitha made incorrect statements in the January to December 2017 returns, affecting payable excise duty by Sh3.6 billion. The case is scheduled to be heard on July 26.