Keroche CEO Tabitha Karanja petitions Pres. Kenyatta after KRA shuts down Keroche Breweries
2 min readKeroche CEO Tabitha Karanja has petitioned Pres Kenyatta after KRA shut down Keroche Breweries over Sh332m tax row.
The Kenya Revenue Authority has closed down Keroche breweries over a Sh332 million tax arrears.
The shutdown comes even after the company asked KRA for a grace period to clear the tax obligation, saying the COVID-19 pandemic had adversely affected its revenue flows.
Tabitha Karanja, the Chief Executive Officer, has petitioned President Uhuru Kenyatta to intercede, claiming that attempts to meet with the KRA Commissioner General have failed.
In her appeal to the President, Keroche CEO Tabitha Karanja requested for the reopening of the factory and for KRA to give them a grace period of twelve months to clear the tax arrears.
“Keroche is capable of remitting over Sh21 billion every year in taxes and a positive consideration of this appeal will be a win for both the company and KRA.”
“The laws should mandate the CS Treasury to give waivers or moratoriums to investors during such difficult times brought about by a global pandemic,” she said.
“We are sure that this issue can be sorted amicably as we are ready to pay the required taxes if KRA opens up our brewery,” Karanja said.
Karanja, who spoke to the press on Friday accompanied by workers, vowed to keep going, saying that the company was remitting over Sh200 million to the exchequer every month at its peak.
She said Sh332 million in tax arrears had accumulated since February 2021, when the firm reached an agreement with KRA on how to resettle it, causing the current problem.
Karanja revealed that the authority had closed down the factory with over two million litres of beer worth Sh512 million still in tanks.
She said the liquor would go to waste in seven days.
“This has drained all our resources, and unfortunately, if nothing is done in the next seven days, we will be forced to drain all the beer and lay off over 250 direct employees,” she said.
Meanwhile, Keroche CEO Tabitha Karanja has expressed interest in the Nakuru County senatorial seat to champion, protect and cushion local enterprises.
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