Raphael Tuju goes missing, car found abandoned in Karen

Former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju has been reported missing after his family lost contact with him on Saturday afternoon, March 21, 2026, with his car later found abandoned in the Karen area of Nairobi.

The alarm follows a chain of events that began on Friday, when Tuju reportedly noticed he was being tailed by a white Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series with no number plates.

He went to Karen Police Station the following day to report the incident, recorded under OB 21/21/03/2026.

That same Saturday evening, Tuju was due to appear on Ramogi FM for a scheduled interview.

He never showed up.

His family says they have not seen him since Saturday afternoon and that his phone has been switched off since then.

On Sunday morning, March 22, Mano Tuju, his son, received a call from the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) at Karen Police Station while he was in church.

The OCS informed him that his father's vehicle had been found abandoned along Miotoni Lane in Karen.

The family subsequently filed a missing person report at the same station, recorded under OB 17/22/03/2026.

Tuju's lawyer, Grado Victor Mabachi, confirmed the missing person report had been filed.

Siaya Governor James Orengo, speaking at a church service on Sunday, March 22, told congregants that Tuju had been abducted.

He said Tuju's car had been found abandoned with the keys still inside, and called on Kenyans to pray for him.

"Nataka niwajulishe, ndugu yetu Tuju ametekwa nyara. Gari yake imeachwa mahali, na vifunguo za gari ziko pale pale. Tumuombee Tuju kwa sababu amepitia matatizo mingi sana," Orengo said, roughly translating to: "Our brother Tuju has been kidnapped. His car has been left somewhere, with the keys still inside. Let us pray for Tuju because he has gone through many problems."

Tuju's disappearance comes against the backdrop of a prolonged and public legal battle over his prime Karen properties.

At the centre of the dispute is a loan of Sh2.22 billion owed to the East African Development Bank (EADB), which the bank has been seeking to recover through the auction of Tuju's properties, including Dari Business Park and Entim Sidai.

On March 13, 2026, armed police officers stormed Dari Business Park in the early hours of the morning and evicted Tuju.

He publicly alleged that the officers, some in balaclavas and in vehicles without number plates, had no court order.

The Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, later confirmed that a number of individuals linked to the attacks on Tuju's properties had been arrested.

Three days before his disappearance, on Thursday, March 19, Tuju wrote an open letter to Kanja seeking police protection, citing concerns over his security and property.

The Judiciary, through spokesperson Paul Ndemo, has separately clarified that the High Court declined to stop the property recovery process because the application touched on matters already decided by other courts.

As of Sunday evening, there was no official police statement on Tuju's whereabouts.