Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo, and billionaire businessman Jimmy Wanjigi were on Saturday blocked by police from accessing the Karen home of former Jubilee Secretary-General Raphael Tuju, hours after he was forcibly evicted in a pre-dawn operation.
The leaders had arrived at the property in Karen to show solidarity with Tuju, who says he was thrown out of his residence at about 2:00 am in a heavily guarded operation. Armed officers manning the compound turned them away, insisting they were acting on “strict instructions” not to admit anyone, including Tuju himself.
Tuju pleaded with officers to allow limited access, saying critical court documents remained inside his office within the compound. He added that several law firms also operate from the premises and had been locked out.
“We have been instructed not to allow anyone inside,” an officer in charge said, firmly blocking the former Cabinet Secretary and his entourage from entry.
An agitated Wanjigi accused unnamed actors of plotting to seize the land under the guise of debt recovery, vowing unwavering support for Tuju and warning alleged grabbers that they had been identified.
“Raphael Tuju is complaining categorically that there is injustice going on. What is happening to him is happening to many Kenyans elsewhere in the country. We are going to stand by him, and those trying to grab this land, we know you, and your time is up,” Wanjigi declared.
Tuju is embroiled in a long-running dispute with the East African Development Bank (EADB), which claims he owes between KSh 2.2 billion and KSh 4.5 billion, according to a 2026 report. He maintains he is willing to settle the debt but alleges he has been denied a fair hearing.
The former minister questioned the deployment of more than 60 police vehicles and heavily armed officers to enforce the eviction, arguing that the courts should instead allow him to exhaust appeal options. He disclosed that he had written to Martha Koome, President of the Supreme Court of Kenya, seeking urgent intervention.
The standoff follows a court order authorizing EADB to auction Tuju’s properties, including Entim Sidai and Dari Restaurant, to recover the debt. The move has sparked public debate, with some Kenyans arguing that debt disputes should not result in dramatic overnight evictions.
As police maintained a tight cordon around the compound on Saturday, Tuju and his allies remained outside, locked in a tense confrontation that underscores the high-stakes battle over one of Nairobi’s most contested properties.
