Keroche Breweries Chief Executive Officer, Tabitha Mukami Mungai, has joined a list of politicians who have changed their names for easy identification by the electorate.
In a Gazette Notice dated Friday, April 8, the business mogul opted to drop her maiden name and adopt her company’s brand.
The Keroche CEO made the daring move after announcing her bid to vie for Nakuru's senatorial bid in the forthcoming polls. The businesswoman changed her name from Tabitha Mukami Mungai, and she will now be known as Tabitha Karanja Keroche.
"...formerly known as Tabitha Mukami Mungai, formally and absolutely renounced and abandoned the use of her former name Tabitha Mukami Mungai, and in lieu thereof assumed and adopted the name Tabitha Karanja Keroche, for all purposes and authorizes and requests all persons at all times to designate, describe and address her by her assumed name Tabitha Karanja Keroche only," the notice read.
In 2021, Karanja announced that she would be vying for the Nakuru Senatorial seat in the 2022 elections after consulting with her family and close friends.
The renowned entrepreneur noted that she will push for the enactment of laws that would curb unfair business practices having been a victim over the years. She added that for a long time, she had shied off from politics to concentrate on running the business but now it was time to serve the people through legislation.
"I have new business ideas which can spur this country ahead economically and when the time is right I will name my political vehicle," Karanja stated.
She joins a list of politicians who changed their names for political reasons.
Former Kiambu Governor, Ferdinand Waititu, and former Nairobi county boss, Mike Mbuvi, adopted the names Babayao and Sonko respectively to appeal to the masses during the polls.
Unknown to many, Kiambu Senator Kimani Wamatangi also changed his name from Paul Njoroge Kimani. Before he became a politician, he was known for giving out water tanks in Kiambu hence was nicknamed Wamatangi (Kikuyu for the water tanks man).
Muranga Governor, Mwangi Wa Iria, was initially known as Francis Mwangi when he worked at the new Kenya Cooperative Creameries (KCC).
People legally change their first, middle, or last names for a variety of reasons:
1. You can change your name at any time and for any reason provided, it is not to deceive or defraud or to avoid an obligation.
2. If a married person makes an application for a change of name, then their spouse has to give consent to the proposed change of name.
3. For a divorced person, a certificate from an advocate that he/she is living separately from their spouse is required.
If the applicant is divorced then their certificate of marriage or evidence of marriage together with decree absolute or certificate of divorce will be required, facilitating the change of name.
4. Unmarried mothers whose children were registered with the father’s surname and wish for their children to have their surname.
5. In case you have anomalies in identification documents like the ID card or the Passport.
6. When a person is undergoing gender reassignment.
7. If you feel you have an unpleasant-sounding given name or even an embarrassing name.
