President William Ruto has weighed in on the predicament of former Foreign Affairs Minister Raphael Tuju. He advised the embattled politician to seek genuine friends who can help him save his property. Ruto spoke in Siaya on Tuesday, March 24, addressing reporters after Tuju’s dramatic arrest and subsequent hospitalization.
Tuju had been reported missing since Saturday, March 21. He resurfaced two days later, on March 23, explaining that he went into hiding after noticing an unmarked vehicle trailing him. His explanation contradicted the initial belief that he had been abducted. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations blasted him for staging his disappearance, suggesting he sought sympathy amid a legal battle over his prime property in Nairobi’s Karen area.
Ruto Criticizes Opposition Over Raphael Tuju Case
Speaking in Siaya, the president observed that those standing with Tuju were doing him a disservice rather than any good. He argued that the former minister’s associations were exploiting his misfortune for political gain. “They have gone to mislead Tuju. They told him to hide in his bedroom and then claim he had been abducted,” Ruto said.
He further noted that Tuju needs honest friends and sound advice to receive proper assistance. “He doesn’t need scavengers who are trying to exploit the misfortune of a citizen. They are looking for popularity through someone’s predicament,” the president added. Ruto emphasized that Tuju should receive guidance to help him save his property so he can move forward.
The president also condemned opposition leaders for dragging former president Uhuru Kenyatta’s name into the saga. Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka had earlier claimed that Kenyatta called him when Tuju was still missing. Ruto accused Kalonzo and his colleagues of leveraging the spectacle to score political points. “Tuju doesn’t need those frauds; they have even gone ahead to drag Uhuru Kenyatta’s name into the mud. They are not helping Tuju,” the president said.
Legal Battles Behind the Raphael Tuju Case
Tuju’s woes stem from a hefty loan he took from the East African Development Bank in 2015. The loan sparked years of legal wrangling between the former minister and the lender. By 2019, courts in London and later in Kenya ordered him to pay up. The rulings paved the way for the lenders to target his prized Karen assets, including Entim Sidai, Tamarind Karen, and Dari Business Park.
On March 9, Justice Josephine Mongare ultimately greenlit the takeover of the property. She dismissed Tuju’s renewed challenge as a delaying tactic and misuse of the judicial process. Justice Mongare’s decision paved the way for the drama that has since engulfed the former minister. On March 13, Tuju showed up at the property to stop a raid by police officers.
Police arrested Tuju on Monday, March 23, shortly after he left his Karen home to record a statement. He spent the night at Karen Police Station before his health worsened. Authorities rushed him to The Karen Hospital on Tuesday, where he remains under medical care.
Opposition Leaders Respond to Tuju’s Predicament
Opposition leaders had rallied behind Tuju when news of his disappearance first emerged. Kalonzo Musyoka accused the state of persecuting the former minister. Lawmakers pressed the authorities for answers, expressing concern that someone of Tuju’s stature could be abducted.
Governor James Orengo initially alleged that Tuju had been kidnapped. Lawmaker Otiende Amollo urged police to do everything within their power to trace and protect him. However, the DCI’s account of events shifted the narrative, leading to Tuju’s arrest rather than a rescue operation.
Authorities had scheduled Tuju for arraignment at the Kibera Law Courts. The process was barred by his state of health. Through his lawyers, Tuju sought anticipatory bail from the High Court to prevent his arrest. He also sought the withdrawal of police officers stationed by his bedside at the hospital. Prosecutors intend to charge him with furnishing a police officer with wrong information.
The Raphael Tuju case continues to dominate political discourse in Kenya. It highlights ongoing tensions between the executive, the judiciary, and opposition figures. Meanwhile, the legal battle over Tuju’s Karen properties remains unresolved, with lenders still pursuing their claims through the courts.
