Tabitha Karanja, the founder and managing director of Keroche Breweries Ltd, has single-handedly run the company since its inception nearly 15 years ago as a small brewery. It is now a Kshs 1.5 billion ($17.6 million) turnover company with a growing local market share.
On Wednesday, however, she was smashed with a tax evasion notice that rendered her arrest. It was alleged the company was unable to pay Excise Duty and Value Added Tax (VAT) on its various products including Crescent Vodka, Viena Ice and Summit beers as well as duty stamps.
Even with the government on her toes, Tabitha has proven to be an iron lady from way back. How well do you know her? Here are a few facts you probably didn’t know about Tabitha:
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Tabitha was born in Kijabe, in central Kenya.
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She is only 54 years and married to Joseph Karanja who serves as the Chairman of Keroche Breweries Limited.
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After attending Kenyan schools, she took up employment in the Ministry of Tourism as an Accounting Clerk.
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Both Tabitha and Joseph Karanja owned a successful hardware store in Naivasha town.
Tabitha Karanja with her daughter Arnelisa Muigai Photo: Instargram -
They are the parents of four children; two girls and two boys. James Karanja, Anerlisa Muigai, Edward Muigai and Tecra Muigai
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In 1997, the couple closed the hardware store and went into the wine-making business.
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ln 2010, she was honoured by President Mwai Kibaki with a Moran of Burning the Spear (MBS) award for her great contribution in liberalising Kenya’s alcohol market.
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Her daughter Anerlisa Mungai, is a well-known public figure for dating a renowned Tanzania musician and her drinking water company Nero.
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As chief executive of Keroche Breweries, Tabitha Karanja has paved the way for many other female entrepreneurs in Kenya, a country where women are traditionally scarce in the boardrooms, and even rarer in million-dollar startups.
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She is now seeking expansion in East and Central Africa and her dream is to cover the whole of Africa.