Jane Karuku, Managing Director and CEO of EABL East Africa. File
Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) has moved to allay concerns over a court case filed by Bia Tosha, stating that the matter is unrelated to the recently announced Diageo-Asahi transaction.
In a statement, KBL clarified that the court proceedings stem from a long-standing commercial dispute between the two parties over distribution territories in Kenya. The brewer emphasized that the case has “absolutely no factual or legal linkage” to the Diageo–Asahi deal involving East African Breweries Limited (EABL).
According to KBL, the application before the court is the latest development in what it described as a decade-long campaign by a former employee and distributor to disrupt the company’s operations.
“This application is merely the latest iteration of an unsuccessful 10-year campaign by a former employee and former distributor—now a serial litigant—to destabilize and damage EABL’s business operations,” the statement read, adding that all claims made are “devoid of truth.”
KBL further stressed that despite changes in shareholding at the parent company level, both EABL and KBL remain independent and financially sound entities capable of running their businesses and defending any legal challenges.
The company warned that suggestions linking the court case to the Diageo–Asahi transaction are misleading and harmful to Kenya’s reputation as an attractive destination for foreign investment.
“Any insinuation to the contrary is false and inimical to the interests of Kenya as a nation that attracts high-quality foreign investment,” KBL said.
The case remains before the courts, with KBL maintaining that it will vigorously defend its position while continuing normal business operations.