Keroche Breweries CEO Tabitha Karanja Declares Bid for Nakuru Senator Seat

Keroche Breweries CEO Tabitha Karanja has decided to join politics after over 30 years in business.

The 57-year-old businesswoman declared her bid for Nakuru senatorial seat during a media briefing in Naivasha on Tuesday.

Tabitha pointed out that she arrived at the decision after months of consultations with family and friends, adding that she has all it takes to represent the cosmopolitan county at the Senate.

“For months we have been involved in consultations with close friends and I feel it’s time I gave this seat a shot,” said Tabitha.

She added: “I have been at the centre of the unfair business practices and given a chance I would introduce laws that would protect investors and increase business opportunities.”

Tabitha co-founded Keroche Breweries with her husband Joseph Karanja in 1997. The Naivasha-based company has grown to be the second-largest alcoholic beverages producer in Kenya.

Tabitha won the Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship (Transformational Business Award) in 2015 and also received the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (MBS) award from President Mwai Kibaki.

Keroche is currently embroiled in a court battle with Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) over alleged tax arrears amounting to Sh14 billion.