Oburu Oginga Claims William Ruto Holds Copy of Raphael Tuju’s Land Title Deed: “He Showed Me”

Oburu Oginga Claims William Ruto Holds Copy of Raphael Tuju’s Land Title Deed: “He Showed Me”

A fresh political storm has erupted over the legal and personal troubles facing former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju after Oburu Oginga claimed that President William Ruto personally showed him documents indicating that Tuju’s disputed Karen property had already changed ownership following a public auction.

Tuju is currently hospitalised at The Karen Hospital amid an impending arrest over allegations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) that he staged his own abduction on March 21. The unfolding saga has drawn national attention, intertwining criminal investigations with a high-stakes property dispute.

At the centre of the controversy is a prime parcel of land in Karen, Nairobi, on which the Dari Business Park stands. The property has been pursued by the East African Development Bank (EADB) to recover a loan taken by Tuju in 2015.

Speculation had grown that Tuju’s predicament was politically motivated, with some critics suggesting state involvement. Oburu Oginga, an ODM stalwart and Siaya senator, also faced pressure from supporters questioning why he had not used his perceived proximity to the president to intervene.

Seeking to address those concerns, Oburu disclosed details of a private conversation with Ruto, claiming he reached out directly in an attempt to help Tuju.

“I have not been quiet. This issue found us while we were in Mombasa, and Otiende Amollo called me, telling me that police officers had surrounded Tuju’s property, so I should try and talk to the president for him to intervene,” Oburu said in remarks from a leaked phone call.

According to him, the president later sent documentary proof indicating that the land had been sold through a public auction.

“After some time, he sent me a message, a photocopy of the title deed of the man who had bought the property in February last year. It was auctioned publicly in February 2025,” he added.

Oburu further revealed that Tuju had personally sought the president’s assistance but disagreed with the proposed solution.

He said Ruto advised that the only way for Tuju to reclaim the property would be to compensate the new owner for the purchase price paid at auction.

“Ruto said it can only be returned if Tuju pays the money the buyer used to acquire it during the auction,” Oburu explained, adding that Tuju appeared reluctant to do so and instead wanted the title deed restored to his name without payment.

Meanwhile, a businessman has publicly asserted ownership of the disputed property. Jackson Chebet stated that his company, Ultra Eureka Limited, legally acquired the Dari Business Park at a public auction in October 2024 for approximately KSh450 million.

In an affidavit, Chebet maintained that the transaction followed due process and that the property is now charged to KCB Bank, reinforcing his claim as the lawful proprietor.

Earlier, President Ruto addressed the issue during a public event in Siaya County, Tuju’s home region, suggesting that some individuals around the former CS were worsening his situation rather than helping him resolve it.

He accused certain political actors of exploiting the matter for personal gain, including circulating claims that Tuju had been abducted, instead of encouraging constructive solutions to the financial dispute.

The president also criticised attempts to draw former head of state Uhuru Kenyatta into the controversy, arguing that Tuju required practical support rather than political theatrics.

As investigations into the alleged self-abduction continue alongside the protracted legal battle over the Karen property, the case has evolved into a complex intersection of law, politics, and personal misfortune.

For now, Tuju remains hospitalised while uncertainty surrounds both his legal fate and the ownership of the lucrative business park — a dispute that continues to reverberate across Kenya’s political landscape.

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Oburu Oginga Claims William Ruto Holds Copy of Raphael Tuju’s Land Title Deed: “He Showed Me”