Former Cabinet minister Raphael Tuju has vowed to fight for his 27-acre property in Karen, Nairobi**, after being evicted from Dari Business Park, where dozens of police officers have reportedly camped outside the premises around the clock.
Tuju claims the eviction is unjustified and has questioned the process that led to the auctioning of the property, which he says has been politicised.
Debt Dispute With Development Bank
The former minister said the debt owed to the East African Development Bank (EADB) is significantly lower than the value of the property that was auctioned.
According to Tuju, he has always been willing to settle the loan and has repeatedly expressed readiness to repay it.
“I want to pay the loan and I have wanted to pay the loan for the longest time,” Tuju said, explaining that he initially borrowed 9 million and later attempted to return the money.
However, he now questions how the dispute escalated to the point where the property was taken over.
Prayers Held Outside Locked Premises
On Sunday morning, Tuju and several employees gathered outside the business park for prayers after being denied entry into the premises.
Speaking to journalists, Tuju said he should at least be allowed to retrieve personal and office belongings.
“They don’t have court orders and even if they had court orders… at least you should allow me to take my pens, pencils, papers to leave with,” he said.
The premises are now reportedly owned by Jackson Chebet of Ultra Eureka Limited, following the auction process.
Tuju has raised questions about the acquisition and the legality of the takeover.
Questions Over Police Presence
The situation has also drawn criticism from Eliud Owalo, who questioned why police officers were deployed in what he described as a commercial dispute.
Owalo argued that such matters should be resolved through civil legal procedures rather than through security enforcement.
“Commercial debts are sorted under the confines of civil procedure law, so what are the police doing here?” Owalo asked.
Tuju Vows Not to Give Up Property
Despite the eviction, Tuju has insisted he will continue fighting legally to reclaim the property.
He also questioned why several other premises within the business park had been locked, claiming there was a stop order against the auctioneers.
The dispute over the prime Karen property now appears set to move into a prolonged legal battle as Tuju challenges the auction and takeover process.
