Former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju has suffered a fresh legal blow after the High Court cleared the way for the auction of his multi-billion-shilling Dari Business Park in Karen over a disputed Ksh2.2 billion loan battle.
In a ruling delivered on Wednesday, May 20, the court declined to stop the planned sale of Dari Business Park, allowing lenders to proceed with recovery efforts tied to the massive debt facility reportedly secured by the property.
However, the court temporarily spared another property linked to Tuju — Entim Sidai — after issuing interim stay orders pending the hearing and determination of the case.
The judge directed Tuju to deposit Ksh50 million within 30 days as security, warning that failure to comply would open the door for the auction of the second property as well.
The ruling marks the latest chapter in a years-long financial and legal dispute involving the former Jubilee Party Secretary General, who has been fighting to stop the sale of the high-value Karen properties.
Court documents indicate that Tuju obtained the loan in 2015 to finance the expansion of his investment ventures in Karen. However, the lenders later accused him of defaulting on the repayment agreement.
The dispute escalated in 2019 when the commercial bank moved to a UK court and successfully obtained orders allowing the seizure of Dari Business Park, which had been offered as collateral. The foreign judgment was later recognised by Kenyan courts, strengthening efforts to recover the debt.
In 2024, Tuju returned to court seeking to block the auction of both the Karen property and another parcel located along Ngong Road, arguing that the recovery process was unfair and politically influenced.
The former minister has repeatedly maintained that he was capable of repaying the loan, but alleged that the bank declined his repayment proposals and instead pushed ahead with the auction plans.
Speaking previously after a dramatic eviction from one of the disputed properties in March, Tuju claimed that powerful figures within government were interested in taking over the prime land.
“I was ready and willing to settle the loan, but there were forces determined to grab the property,” Tuju reportedly claimed.
The March incident sparked public attention after Tuju alleged that security officers and auctioneers forcibly removed him from the property before he disappeared for nearly 24 hours under unclear circumstances.
He later resurfaced and accused state-backed operatives of orchestrating the eviction, claims that intensified the political dimension of the dispute.
The latest court decision now places Tuju under renewed pressure as the countdown begins on the Ksh50 million condition set by the court — a requirement that could determine whether his remaining property is also put under the hammer.
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