Former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju, who had been reported missing on Sunday, March 22, has been found safe, bringing relief after hours of uncertainty over his whereabouts.
Speaking to the press on Monday, March 23, #Tuju revealed that he abandoned his vehicle after noticing he was being followed by suspicious, unmarked cars. He explained that the ordeal began on Friday evening when a vehicle started trailing him, prompting him to report the matter at Karen Police Station.
However, the situation escalated the following day. While heading to a scheduled radio interview, Tuju says the same vehicle resumed trailing him – this time without number plates, raising further alarm. Drawing from a previous incident where multiple police vehicles, some unmarked, had approached his residence, Tuju said he feared for his safety.
Accompanied by his aide, he relied on his familiarity with the Karen area to evade the pursuers. He diverted onto Nandi Road, where the road layout made it difficult for the trailing vehicle to follow. It was at this point that he decided to abandon his car to avoid being tracked.
“On Saturday evening, I was supposed to go for a radio interview and then again the same vehicle, a Land Cruiser, and this time a little bit more concerning, the vehicle didn’t have number plates, and having experienced how close to 20 police Land Rovers came to my place and some of them did not have number plates, I got worried.
“I had my aide by my side and because I know Karen well and they were closing in, I branched to Nandi Road, where they were unable to reach because of the road structure and that is how I lost them and decided, since I was being followed, and I had reported the incident to the police, I abandoned the vehicle there,” Mr. Tuju added.
Tuju and his aide later sought refuge at a private residence near the Nairobi-Kiambu border, where they stayed until late Sunday night.
He expressed gratitude to the family that sheltered him, noting their compassion. Tuju reappeared shortly after midnight, bringing an end to the uncertainty surrounding his whereabouts.