Family in Distress as Former CS Raphael Tuju Goes Missing

Family in Distress as Former CS Raphael Tuju Goes Missing

Concern is mounting over the whereabouts of former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju after his family reported him missing under circumstances that have prompted a police search and heightened public attention.

According to a family spokesperson, the former minister was last seen on Saturday, March 22, after leaving for what was described as a scheduled interview. It remains unclear whether he arrived at the intended destination, and efforts to trace his movements have so far yielded few answers.

Tuju’s son, Mano Tuju, said the family grew alarmed when repeated attempts to reach him by phone went unanswered. The situation escalated when his legal team also failed to establish contact, prompting relatives to alert authorities and initiate a search.

On Sunday morning, the family received a distressing update from police. The Officer Commanding Station (OCS) at Karen Police Station informed Mano Tuju that his father’s vehicle had been found abandoned along Miotoni Lane, a residential area in the upscale suburb of Karen.

Police have not disclosed whether any suspicious items were recovered from the vehicle or whether there were signs of foul play. Investigations are ongoing as officers attempt to reconstruct the events leading up to his disappearance.

Tuju, who previously served as Cabinet Secretary and later as Secretary General of the Jubilee Party, has been in the public spotlight in recent weeks due to a high-profile dispute over his properties in Karen. The case has involved attempts to auction portions of his land and culminated in a dramatic eviction from his residence, which he has publicly challenged.

The former minister has alleged that unnamed powerful individuals were behind the actions taken against him, claims that have not been independently verified. His legal battles over the land have generated intense public debate, given the property’s location in one of Nairobi’s most valuable residential areas.

In a television interview with NTV on March 17, Tuju recounted how he acquired the Karen property more than four decades ago, at a time when the area was largely undeveloped farmland.

“The first time I bought land in Karen was 40 years ago, and it was Ksh100,000 per acre. I took a loan from the National Bank. The minimum you could buy in Karen at that time was Ksh250,000. I took a loan of Ksh180,000,” he said during the interview.

Tuju added that he had to make significant personal sacrifices to secure the land, including selling his personal vehicle to raise additional funds required for the purchase.

Just days before his disappearance, Tuju made a direct appeal to the country’s top police leadership. On Thursday, he wrote an open letter to Douglas Kanja, the Inspector General of Police, seeking intervention over what he described as security concerns related to his property dispute.

In the letter, he requested police protection and assistance, stating that he faced mounting pressure affecting both his assets and personal safety. The communication underscored the seriousness of his concerns and his attempt to engage authorities at the highest level.

Family members say the timing of his disappearance, coming so soon after the appeal, has deepened their anxiety. They have urged law enforcement agencies to intensify search efforts and provide updates as soon as new information becomes available.

Police have not yet issued a comprehensive statement detailing the scope of the investigation or whether any persons of interest have been identified. Meanwhile, friends, colleagues, and supporters have expressed concern for his safety as the search continues.

Authorities are appealing to the public to share any information that could assist in locating the former Cabinet Secretary, as his family awaits answers in what has become an increasingly worrying case.

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Family in Distress as Former CS Raphael Tuju Goes Missing