Former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju has broken his silence after resurfacing at his Karen residence in Nairobi, days after his sudden disappearance on Saturday.
Tuju narrated a tense sequence of events, claiming he had been under surveillance prior to going missing. According to him, he had earlier reported to authorities that he suspected he was being followed by an unknown vehicle.
“I noticed I was being followed before and reported it to the authorities,” he said, adding that he filed a report at Karen Police Station under OB number 21/21/03/2026.
The former CS explained that the situation escalated on Saturday as he headed for a scheduled interview at Ramogi FM. He alleged that the same vehicle he had previously spotted trailed him again—this time without number plates.
“As I was going for the interview, I noticed the same vehicle following me, only this time without plate numbers. That is when I became more concerned,” Tuju said.
Drawing from a prior in ident in which he claimed nearly 20 police Land Rovers some also lacking number plates had surrounded his home, Tuju said he feared for his safety.
While driving himself, accompanied by his aide, Tuju said the pursuing vehicle closed in on him near the Karen roundabout.
“They came very close, almost back-to-back with me, making it clear they were tracking my movements,” he recounted.
Leveraging his familiarity with the area, Tuju said he managed to evade the vehicle by turning into Nandi Road, a route he described as difficult for the pursuers to follow due to its layout.
“I know Karen well. I branched into Nandi Road, and they couldn’t follow without risking oncoming traffic. That’s how I lost them,” he explained.
After evading the suspected pursuers, Tuju said he drove through several roads within Karen before deciding to abandon his vehicle, fearing continued surveillance.
He further revealed that he sought refuge with a family in the Kiambaa–Kiambu boundary area, whom he praised for their compassion.
“I want to thank Kenyans, especially a family in Kiambuki, who gave me shelter. They didn’t care about my tribe they just saw me as a human being,” he said.
Tuju added that he remained in hiding until past midnight, when he was arrested under circumstances that remain unclear.
The incident has raised fresh questions over his safety and the circumstances surrounding the alleged surveillance, with authorities yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
