KRA boss John Njiraini warns on fake bottled water and juices

KRA Commissioner General John Njiraini (in tie) joins his staff in a visit to Naivasha based Keroche Breweries to find out how the recently introduced excise stamps management programme was working. PHOTO: ANTONY GITONGA

NAIROBI: Beware that bottled water and juice, besides quenching your thirst, could harm you.

Over 60 per cent of water and juices in the country's market are counterfeit, according to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

The illegal trade is denying the country billions of shillings in revenue and the products are a health hazard to consumers.

According to KRA Commissioner General John Njiraini, his officials were keen to ensure consumers receive quality goods and tax is paid.

"The water and juices sector is one of the fastest growing industries in the country, but statistics indicate that over 60 per cent of the water and juices are illicit," he said.

Speaking in Naivasha at the weekend, Njiraini announced plans to introduce the excise stamps management programme in the sector.

Njiraini praised the programme which seeks to help consumers identify genuine products and those that have paid taxes.

He noted that previously, the proramme had targeted spirits and wines adding that they had introduced it to beer before moving to water, juices and sodas.

Njiraini noted that under the programme, KRA had already met its excise tax collection with tax returns rising by 30 to 40 per cent.

"Under this programme, which is meant to fight illicit products, we have seen some companies tax returns rise five-fold and this is the way to go," he said.

He termed the programme as very successful noting that it had helped address the issue of counterfeits in the tobacco sector.

"We tried this system in the tobacco industry and it has worked with counterfeits going down from 25 to five per cent," he said.

Earlier, Njiraini had toured Keroche Breweries with KRA senior officers to assess how the new excise programme was working.

Keroche CEO Tabitha Karanja welcomed the new programme adding that the excise stamp programme had seen their sales rise.

Karanja said that consumers were now enlightened and empowered noting that they could buy legitimate products under the programme.

She, however, expressed concern over the high number of counterfeit liquor in the market.

"Though a lot has been done to deal with these counterfeit drinks, we urge KRA to do more as 50 per cent of these imported drinks are fake," she said.