Money can buy you the world and the people in it too. After Keroche Breweries was accused of tax evasion, an instance that saw its CEO and chairman arrested but later released on cash bail, the breweries CEO flexed her muscle to sanitize the name of the business and set the record straight.
In a two page advert on a local daily, Keroche Breweries CEO Tabitha Karanja poured heart out in ‘Thank you For Believing In Us’ ad dedicated to Kenyans after her arrest and arraignment which she termed as humiliating and a messy occurrence.
“On the morning of 21st august 2019, Keroche breweries according to the Kenyan laws a responsible respected and admired corporate entity was going about its business. Before this date, there were no tax evasion claims or any communication or any complaints of the kind. But by 4 pm it was a pariah organization, barricaded by tens of security officials, its directors hunted like criminals and our family of staff subjected to psychological and physical abuse,” read the advertorial
Tabitha went ahead to emphasize that as a local investor who for the last 22 years outdid the 50-year-old monopolised alcohol industry, to be a job creator and among top business entities remitting taxes to the government for the last 13 years until the publicised accusation of an alleged 14.4 Billion tax evasion that for a moment puzzled her.
Careful not to rub government officials the wrong way, she weighed in heavily on the office of the DPP, crucifying its official for pulling such a move on a company that has enjoyed the protection, stability and positive publicity.
“To the office of the DPP, our take is simple, please conduct proper investigations. It takes years, decades, generations to create a credible business that provides jobs, create wealth and grow the economy. Entrepreneurs make sacrifices and take risks to grow businesses that have added value to the country. A rash decision on improper investigations may be populist but they damage more than they achieve,” she insisted
While at it, she poked its competitors and multinationals business in her industry questioning if they would have been manhandled and humiliated because they are not local investors
“The contemptuous treatment we are experiencing defeats logic. I am lost for words. I apologize that I can’t find the right word to explain this state of affairs. Pure undiluted contempt,” she highlighted.
She concluded by dearly thanking Kenyans for their support, and that as a company they will continue strong in business as usual.
“We are Kenyans and Kenya is our business. We must remain true to ourselves. We shall continue to inspire Kenya Afric and the world with the belief it can, it shall and must be done,” read the end.
