Audio By Vocalize
Former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju has resurfaced after more than 24 hours of uncertainty, saying he abandoned his vehicle in Karen and took shelter with a family in Kiambu after noticing he was being followed by an unmarked vehicle.
Tuju, who had been reported missing since Saturday evening, March 21, said he had filed a police report at Karen Police Station the previous day, citing concerns that a white Toyota Land Cruiser without number plates had been trailing him.
“I was a little bit concerned and worried that I’m being followed,” he said.
On Saturday, as he drove towards the Karen roundabout for a scheduled interview at Ramogi Radio, the same vehicle reappeared, this time closing in on him.
“By the time I reached Karen roundabout, they’d already closed in. And now they’re definitely making sure that I’m back-to-back,” noted Tuju.
He said he used his knowledge of the Karen road network to shake off the vehicle by turning onto Nadi Road, a route that forced pursuers to either face oncoming traffic or take a longer detour.
“I lost them,” he added.
Tuju then abandoned his vehicle and sought refuge with a family at the boundary between Nairobi and Kiambu, remaining there until past midnight on Saturday before returning home.
“I want to thank Kenyans, but I also especially want to thank a family in Kiambu that was able to give me shelter. They didn’t care what my tribe is. They just saw me as a human being,” he observed.
He said he chose not to go to a police station because he did not trust the police, citing an earlier incident in which officers, some without number plates on their vehicles, had raided his Dari Business Park property on March 13 without a court order.
“The police themselves have been to my place without plate numbers on their vehicles. How do you go to report?” noted Tuju.
He invoked the names of Kenyans he said had been killed or forcibly disappeared, warning that citizens face danger without protection.
“Kenyans have been slaughtered like chicken. You have absolutely no protection,” he warned.
Tuju said he contacted people locally and internationally, thanking Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, who he said came to his home as soon as he learnt of his return.
“I’d like to thank my counsel because by this morning, they didn’t know. They were still in court trying to get the police to produce me,” said Tuju.
He suggested that his pursuers had started spreading rumours precisely because they failed to detain him.
“If they had caught me, they would be quiet. They didn’t get me,” he added.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) launched a probe into his disappearance after his family filed a missing person report at Karen Police Station on Sunday.
His vehicle was found abandoned along Miotoni Lane with its hazard lights still on, and crime scene investigators processed the area before towing the car to Karen Police Station for forensic examination.
Tuju’s reappearance comes amid a bitter legal dispute over the ownership of Dari Business Park in Karen, linked to a Sh1.9 billion loan from the East African Development Bank (EADB).
The Commercial Court, on March 18, declined to grant the temporary orders sought by Tuju to block the auction of the property, directing that the matter be heard on a priority basis, with a hearing set for April 7.
His driver, Steve Mwanga, who was with him on Saturday, remains missing.
Mwanga’s family was expected to record a statement at Karen Police Station.
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Former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju has resurfaced after more than 24 hours of uncertainty, saying he abandoned his vehicle in Karen and took shelter with a family in Kiambu after noticing he was being followed by an unmarked vehicle.
Tuju, who had been reported missing since Saturday evening, March 21, said he had filed a
police report at Karen Police Station the previous day
, citing concerns that a white Toyota Land Cruiser without number plates had been trailing him.
“I was a little bit concerned and worried that I’m being followed,” he said.
On Saturday, as he drove towards the Karen roundabout for a scheduled interview at Ramogi Radio, the same vehicle reappeared, this time closing in on him.
“By the time I reached Karen roundabout, they’d already closed in. And now they’re definitely making sure that I’m back-to-back,” noted Tuju.
He said he used his knowledge of the Karen road network to shake off the vehicle by turning onto Nadi Road, a route that forced pursuers to either face oncoming traffic or take a longer detour.
“I lost them,” he added.
Tuju then abandoned his vehicle and sought refuge with a family at the boundary between Nairobi and Kiambu, remaining there until past midnight on Saturday before returning home.
“I want to thank Kenyans, but I also especially want to thank a family in Kiambu that was able to give me shelter. They didn’t care what my tribe is. They just saw me as a human being,” he observed.
He said he chose not to go to a police station because he did not trust the police, citing an earlier incident in which officers, some without number plates on their vehicles, had raided his Dari Business Park property on March 13 without a court order.
“The police themselves have been to my place without plate numbers on their vehicles. How do you go to report?” noted Tuju.
He invoked the names of Kenyans he said had been killed or forcibly disappeared, warning that citizens face danger without protection.
“Kenyans have been slaughtered like chicken. You have absolutely no protection,” he warned.
Tuju said he contacted people locally and internationally, thanking Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, who he said came to his home as soon as he learnt of his return.
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“I’d like to thank my counsel because by this morning, they didn’t know. They were still in court trying to get the police to produce me,” said Tuju.
He suggested that his pursuers had started spreading rumours precisely because they failed to detain him.
“If they had caught me, they would be quiet. They didn’t get me,” he added.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) launched a probe into his disappearance after his family filed a missing person report at Karen Police Station on Sunday.
His vehicle was found abandoned along Miotoni Lane with its hazard lights still on, and crime scene investigators processed the area before towing the car to Karen Police Station for forensic examination.
Tuju’s reappearance comes amid a bitter legal dispute over the ownership of Dari Business Park in Karen, linked to a Sh1.9 billion loan from the East African Development Bank (EADB).
The Commercial Court, on March 18, declined to grant the temporary orders sought by Tuju to block the auction of the property, directing that the matter be heard on a priority basis, with a hearing set for April 7.
His driver, Steve Mwanga, who was with him on Saturday, remains missing.
Mwanga’s family was expected to record a statement at Karen Police Station.
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font-family: Georgia, ‘Times New Roman’, serif;
}
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}
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background: #CC0000;
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