Former Kenyan Foreign Affairs Minister Raphael Tuju has resurfaced after being reported missing, saying he went into hiding after becoming alarmed by what he described as suspicious surveillance in Nairobi.
Tuju told reporters he was followed by an unmarked vehicle near the Karen roundabout on Saturday evening while heading to a radio interview. He said the car, which had no number plates, moved in on him, prompting him to take evasive action through side streets before abandoning his vehicle.
“I got very worried… I abandoned the vehicle there,” Tuju said, adding that a family in Kiambu later gave him shelter.
He also revealed he had raised similar concerns a day earlier with police, claiming the same Land Cruiser had been tracking his movements.
Authorities had launched a search after his family filed a missing persons report, with investigators locating his abandoned vehicle on Miotoni Lane with hazard lights still on. Police said they were initially unable to contact him, noting his phone had been switched off.
The disappearance comes amid ongoing tensions between Tuju and authorities, including a protracted legal dispute with the East African Development Bank over a Nairobi property, which has led to enforcement actions.
Days before going missing, Tuju accused police of unlawfully entering his property and evicting him without a court order. He later wrote to Police Inspector-General Douglas Kanja, alleging officers had occupied his premises in what he described as a chaotic and illegal operation.
His legal team has also raised concerns about irregularities in court proceedings tied to the case, including claims that a filed application disappeared from the Court of Appeal schedule.
Raphael Tuju: I noticed I was being followed before and reported it to the authorities. On Saturday as I was going for an interview at Ramogi FM, and noticed the same vehicle from before following me, only this time without plate numbers. Fortunately, I know Karen well and… pic.twitter.com/fNJSYcjStD
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) March 23, 2026
