Faith Masita
After an anxious nationwide search that gripped the country and sparked fears for his safety, former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju has been found alive, dramatically resurfacing after days of uncertainty surrounding his sudden disappearance.
Former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju has reappeared after going missing on Saturday, revealing he went into hiding out of fear for his safety after being followed by unknown individuals.
Former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju has reappeared after going missing on Saturday, revealing he went into hiding out of fear for his safety after being followed by unknown individuals.
Tuju resurfaced on Monday, a day after he had been reported missing, sparking investigations when his vehicle was found abandoned in Karen.
Addressing the media at his residence, Tuju recounted that he first became aware he was being trailed on Friday and reported the incident at Karen Police Station.
“Because it’s easy to know when you’re being followed. You drive, you slow down, they slow down. You overtake, they try to overtake,” he said.
He noted that the situation intensified on Saturday evening as he headed to a scheduled interview, when he again noticed a suspicious Land Cruiser—this time lacking registration plates—following him.
The former CS associated the incident with an earlier occurrence in which several police Land Rovers visited his home, some of which, he claimed, did not have number plates, heightening his concerns.
According to Tuju, the vehicle caught up with him near Karen Roundabout, forcing him to take evasive action and divert onto Nandi Road, where he managed to evade those trailing him.
“So I got very worried… by the time I reached Karen roundabout, they really closed in,” he said.
He later abandoned his car along Miotoni Lane and went into hiding, taking refuge at a private residence near the Karen–Kiambu border.
“I want to thank a family in Kiambu… they didn’t care what my tribe is. They just saw me as a human being,” he said, adding that he returned home shortly after midnight.
His explanation sheds light on an incident that had raised alarm after his vehicle was discovered with hazard lights on, prompting a police response and forensic examination.
Earlier, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations indicated that officers had been denied access to Tuju’s residence by family members as they sought further information.
The agency called on all parties to cooperate and appealed to the public to provide any information that could assist in the probe.
Tuju, however, questioned the safety of reporting such incidents to authorities, citing concerns over alleged past abductions.
“You may ask why I didn’t go to a police station… but if the police themselves have been to my place without number plates, how do you go report?” he posed.
The matter has drawn reactions from leaders, including James Orengo, who earlier suggested a possible abduction, and Otiende Amollo, who said Tuju’s legal team was pursuing answers.
Tuju’s disappearance also comes amid an ongoing legal dispute over Dari Business Park in Karen, where lenders are seeking to recover debts tied to his company.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations had not issued a statement on Tuju’s reappearance by the time of publication.
