Former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju was reportedly detained by police on Monday, hours after resurfacing to explain his disappearance over the past 36 hours.
Tuju’s arrest was confirmed by his lawyer, Ndegwa Njiru, who described the former Jubilee Party Secretary General as distressed and in a worrying state of health. Njiru said that despite Tuju’s condition, authorities insisted on taking him into custody to record a statement.
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka also condemned the manner of the arrest, describing it as “unacceptable” and contrary to the principles of due process.
“Hours ago, police and DCI officers surrounded and barricaded Hon. Raphael Tuju’s home, refusing to let anyone leave until they had him,” Kalonzo wrote on social media. “I personally drove him to Karen Police Station to record a statement in good faith. What followed was unacceptable. Hon. Tuju was carried away in a manner that no Kenyan, indeed no human being, should ever experience.”
By the afternoon, drama escalated at Karen Police Station as Tuju’s legal team publicly raised concerns over his welfare. “They want to abduct him. Mark that vehicle. The manner in which they took him was unacceptable,” Njiru was heard saying outside the police station. Videos circulating on social media showed Tuju in a visibly distressed state, prompting authorities to deploy doctors to attend to him while insisting that he remain in custody.
DCI Responds to Tuju Controversy
Following the incident, Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Director Amin Mohamed addressed the situation in a press briefing. He accused Tuju’s family of obstructing investigations by initially denying police access to his Karen home.
Amin further claimed that, contrary to Tuju’s account, investigations revealed that he remained at his residence throughout the period in question. “Following the family’s initial denial of cooperation, the NPS escalated the matter with urgency. A combined operational team of uniformed officers secured the residence late at night,” Amin said. “Crucially, the DCI conclusively found that Tuju was at his home the entire time, even when his phone was off.”
The DCI indicated that Tuju, who is reportedly involved in efforts to recover a multi-million-shilling Karen property, could face charges over an alleged staged abduction.
The unfolding drama has intensified political tensions, drawing national attention to the personal security of public figures and raising questions about due process, law enforcement, and political accountability in Kenya.