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Patiala Distillers has warned politicians and other individuals against making statements it says are intended to damage the reputation of the alcohol manufacturer, saying it will pursue legal action against those found culpable.
Speaking during a press briefing, the company’s Director of Legal Affairs, Brian Mureithi, said Patiala is a licensed manufacturer and distributor and does not manufacture counterfeit alcoholic products.
Mureithi further clarified that Deputy President Prof. Kithure Kindiki does not own or hold shares in the company, dismissing claims linking the Deputy President to the ownership of Patiala Distillers.
Senior Counsel Danstan Omari said the company will issue demand letters and sue anyone found damaging the reputation of Patiala, which he described as the third-largest alcohol manufacturer and distributor in the country.
Omari said the company would not allow private investors and businesses to be targeted for political gains, urging politicians to substantiate their allegations before making public statements.
He also challenged the Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA) to “walk the talk” by identifying and apprehending individuals allegedly manufacturing alcoholic products using Patiala’s trademarks, brands and product codes.
“We are challenging the Anti-Counterfeit Authority to walk the talk and protect the intellectual property rights of our client,” Omari said, urging the agency to act against manufacturers and distributors of products allegedly bearing Patiala’s trademarks without authorisation.
The company said its genuine alcoholic products contain 37.5 per cent alcohol and maintained that products bearing its trademarks but manufactured by other parties should not be attributed to Patiala.
Patiala said it pays more than Sh100 million annually to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and directly employs about 650 workers, while supporting more than 300,000 people indirectly through its wider business and distribution networks.
The company urged consumers to be cautious when purchasing alcoholic products and to verify the authenticity of products bearing its brands.
It also called on media houses and social media users to verify allegations with the company before publishing or circulating claims that could damage its reputation.