NAIROBI, Kenya Mar 14 – Former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju has claimed that police officers raided his Karen property in the middle of the night and forced him out, escalating a long-running dispute over a multi-billion shilling debt linked to his businesses.
Speaking in a video message early Saturday, Tuju said more than 50 police officers arrived at his Dari Business Park in Karen at about 3am, accompanied by several vehicles, some of them unmarked.
According to him, the officers ordered everyone inside the compound to leave, including workers at the restaurant located within the complex.
“The orders have come from so high that they are simply taking care of their jobs. They are simply obeying orders,” Tuju said.
Tuju insisted the officers did not present any court order authorizing the operation.
“The police who kicked us out together with my guards have no court order. And even if they had a court order, the law doesn’t allow them to come and kick me out of my premises at 3am in the morning. This is not law,” he said.
The former Rarieda MP maintained that he was only defending his family business and urged Kenyans to stand up for their rights.
“I am steadfast. I’m ready to die because many other people have made this kind of sacrifices. It is a sacrifice for the truth,” he said.
“If somebody had a paper they have an eviction order they should come. In the meantime, we are at the Court of Appeal on Monday.”
– Dispute linked to Sh2.2 billion loan –
The dramatic overnight operation is the latest twist in a long-running legal battle between Tuju and the East African Development Bank over a loan taken in 2015.
The dispute centers on a Sh1.5 billion facility granted to Tuju’s company Dari Limited, which the bank says he failed to repay.
In 2019, the High Court of Justice in England and Wales ordered Tuju to repay Sh2.2 billion. The judgment was later recognized by Kenyan courts.
The Court of Appeal of Kenya upheld the decision, while the Supreme Court of Kenya declined to suspend enforcement of the debt ruling.
Two prime properties in Karen are at the center of the dispute.
One houses the Entim Sidai Wellness Sanctuary on Tree Lane, while the other includes Tamarind Karen restaurant and Dari Business Park along Ngong Road.
Following years of court battles, a recent ruling by Justice Josephine Mongare cleared the way for lenders and auctioneers to recover the properties after dismissing Tuju’s latest attempt to reopen the case.
The judge ruled that the application filed by Tuju’s company was “a blatant abuse of court process” aimed at frustrating lawful recovery efforts after years of litigation.
Despite the setbacks in court, Tuju says he is still pursuing legal options and expects the matter to be heard again soon.
“We are at the Court of Appeal on Monday. They don’t want to wait until we get a hearing, so they’d like to pre-empt any decisions that could be made by the court,” he said.
He also thanked Kenyans who have supported him during the dispute.
“I thank the Kenyans. I encourage Kenyans going through such things to remain steadfast and fight for their rights,” Tuju added.
