Brewers cry foul over crackdown

As the crackdown against illicit liquor continues, brewers say they are being targeted unfairly.

The President of Platinum Distillers Michael Kingara which is based in Gatundu says the government should protect licensed brewers who are now victims of individuals settling scores.

Just yesterday, Friday, the High Court ordered for the reinstatement of Keroche Breweries Limited licences within 24 hours.

In the ruling by Justice George Odunga, the court said the business was closed illegally.

Earlier Friday, Keroche Breweries Chief Executive Tabitha Karanja cried foul over the targeting of her multi-billion shilling brewery business in the ongoing crackdown on illicit brews.

In a statement published on the dailies, Tabitha says business at the brewery had stalled following the disabling of the factory’s equipment adding that this lockdown has costed her business billions in revenue.

In the statement, Tabitha revealed that the Kenya Revenue Authority had revoked the company’s excise license thus rendering it unable to produce and sell its products.

The Keroche CEO also questioned why the Kenya Bureau of Standards is yet to complete inspection of its spirit products nearly a fortnight after a team that was led by Naivasha Member of Parliament John Kihagi stormed into the company’s premises with a view to inspecting its products.

She has further cited intimidation of the company’s distributors in Nakuru, Machakos, Murang’a and Kirinyaga counties which she has blamed on “a competitor that is hell bent on terminating Keroche’s existence”

This comes against the backdrop of the company’s investment of five billion shillings in a new brewing facility in March this year.