Keroche Breweries Limited, Kenya’s largest indigenous beer manufacturer, has moved to court seeking KSh10 billion in damages and a public apology over what it terms a “false and malicious” insolvency petition that it says has severely damaged its reputation.
In filings, the Naivasha-based company argues that wide media coverage of the petition has eroded investor confidence, unsettled stakeholders, and exposed the business to long-term financial risks. Holding a 15% share of Kenya’s alcoholic beverages market, Keroche stresses that the fallout threatens its significant contribution to the economy, including 500 direct jobs, supply partnerships with over 10,000 local farmers, and export earnings.
At the center of the dispute is a liquidation petition lodged on May 23, 2025, and advertised in the Kenya Gazette on August 21. Keroche maintains the petition is fundamentally flawed, claiming it is based on an invalid statutory demand improperly signed by a Deputy Registrar rather than the petitioner, contrary to Section 384 of the Insolvency Act.
The company accuses the petitioner, former employee Sam Kruss Shollel, of acting in bad faith and pursuing vexatious litigation, citing a separate contempt application that was later withdrawn in August. Keroche has asked the court to stop further dissemination of the insolvency notice and award it compensation for the “irreparable reputational and commercial harm” already suffered.
The outcome of the case is expected to set an important precedent in balancing creditor rights against corporate protection from reputational attacks under Kenya’s insolvency framework.
