Tabitha Karanja facts for kids

Tabitha Mukami Muigai Karanja is a successful Kenyan businesswoman and politician. She is known for starting and leading Keroche Breweries. This company was the first large beverage factory in Kenya not owned by a huge international company. As of October 2012, Keroche Breweries made about 20% of the beverages consumed in Kenya. She also serves as a Senator for Nakuru County in Kenya.

Early Life and Education

Tabitha Karanja was born in 1964 near Kijabe, a place in central Kenya. After finishing her schooling in Kenya, she started working. Her first job was as an Accounting Clerk in the Ministry of Tourism. Later, she met and married Joseph Muigai Karanja. Her husband owned a successful hardware store in Naivasha town. In 1997, they decided to close the hardware store. They then started a new business making beverages.

Building a Business: Keroche Breweries

Starting with Beverages

In 1997, Tabitha and her husband began their journey in the beverage industry. They started by making a type of fortified wine. Their goal was to make drinks that were affordable for many people. However, in 2007, the government put high taxes on locally made wines. This made their product too expensive for their customers.

Expanding the Product Line

Because of the new taxes, Tabitha changed her business strategy. She started making ready-to-drink gin and vodka. Her factory still produces these beverages today using modern equipment. In 2008, she added beer to her company's products. The first beer brand they launched was called Summit.

Growing the Factory

By 2013, Keroche Breweries planned to make even more beer. They wanted to increase production from 60,000 bottles per day to 600,000 bottles per day. The factory was expanded and updated. This big project cost about KSh5 billion, which is around US$55.5 million. The new and improved factory officially opened on March 31, 2015. Adan Mohammed, a government official, was there for the opening.

Becoming a Senator

In the 2022 Kenyan general election, Tabitha Karanja decided to run for a political office. She aimed to become the Senator for Nakuru County. She ran with the UDA Party. She won the election with a large number of votes. She received 442,864 votes. Her main opponent from the Jubilee Party, Lawrence Karanja, received 163,625 votes. This shows her strong support in the region.

Family Life

Tabitha Karanja is married to Joseph Muigai Karanja. They have four children together: James Karanja Muigai, Anerlisa Muigai, Edward Muigai, and their late daughter Tecra Muigai. Her husband, Joseph Karanja Muigai, is the Chairman of Keroche Breweries Limited.

See also

• List of Kenyans by net worth
• Economy of Kenya