Former Cabinet minister and ex-Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju has made a dramatic public declaration, stating he is prepared to die defending his disputed Karen property in Nairobi. Tuju, who has been embroiled in a long-running legal and financial dispute over the residence, made the remarks in an emotional address to family and supporters.
Tuju instructed his family that should he die in the course of defending the property, he must be buried within 48 hours. He reportedly showed his family the specific spot on the Karen compound where he wishes to be interred, emphasizing that the burial should be swift and private. He also directed that the government should not be involved in his funeral arrangements, a pointed statement given his history in high-level Kenyan politics.
The Karen property has been at the center of a protracted dispute linked to a loan from the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). Tuju's company, Dari Limited, allegedly defaulted on a loan, leading to legal proceedings that threatened the property. Tuju has consistently maintained that the attempts to seize the property are unlawful and has vowed to resist them through all available legal and personal means.
Tuju served as a Cabinet minister under President Uhuru Kenyatta and was a prominent figure in the Jubilee Party. His public statements reflect the intensity of the personal and legal battle he continues to face over the Karen home, which he regards as central to his family's legacy and security.
