Keroche Breweries Chief Executive Officer Tabitha Karanja Keroche has denied owing the company claiming that she is just an employee of the brewer.

She made the revelation in response to a lawsuit filed by one Daniel Mahiri, who is a Nakuru politician who filed seeking to have her blocked from contesting in the Nakuru senatorial race in the August 9 elections.

“I am employed by Keroche Breweries Limited as a Director and CEO but I am not the owner of the company as alleged by the petitioner,” she stated in her affidavit through Kabugu and Company Advocates.

Mahiri, in his petition filed through lawyer Jinaro Kimutai, wants the court to find Karanja unsuitable to hold public office owing to the highly publicized tax evasion case between the brewer and the Kenya Revenue Authority.

He was among the aspirants who were battling it out with Karanja in the nominations but lost to her and moved to court to seek orders that would block her from polls.

In her defence, Karanja implied that Mahiri was a bitter loser, as in her affidavit she claimed that his loss was not motivated by ethics or ideals but by his selfishness and aimed at eliminating competition for personal gains.

She also stated that the tax disputes between Keroche and the taxman were common among many other business ventures in the country and the dispute between Keroche and KRA was of legal nature challenging tax impositions on the company and hence had nothing to do with her as an individual.

Karanja also clarified that she was not privy to the admissions of tax liability as claimed by Mahiri, but pointed out that she was part of the ongoing negotiations between the company and KRA to resolve pending tax disputes.

“In any event, I do not understand what the tax relations of Keroche Breweries Limited have to do with me as a private person distinct from the company,” she said.