Tuju: Powerful interests behind Karen property dispute - I am standing in their way

Former Cabinet Secretary (CS) Raphael Tuju has claimed that the ongoing dispute over the Dari Business Park in Karen has exposed him to serious personal risk, alleging that powerful interests linked to the property are behind what he describes as irregular dealings, despite a court order maintaining the status quo in the matter.

Speaking about the case as proceedings continue before the High Court’s Commercial Division, Tuju says the dispute revolves around a court order that, in his view, required the property to remain unchanged until the matter is fully determined. He maintains that despite this order, the property was subjected to a contested auction and subsequent transfer.

Tuju alleges that the auction was irregular, describing it as a “fake auction” that involved only one bidder. He further claims that the property, which he says was valued at about Sh980 million, was allegedly sold for approximately Sh420 million.

The former CS insists that the process went ahead despite a court order stopping any change in ownership and argues that the resulting title should be set aside pending the determination of the case.

He says the dispute has escalated beyond a commercial issue due to what he describes as significant investor interest in the property, linked to its strategic location along Ngong Road near major infrastructure developments, including the Talanta Stadium project. Tuju argues that this has increased pressure around the asset and contributed to heightened tensions.

“That's why I'm saying that when I say my life is in danger, I'm the one standing between them and that property. Of course, that's number one. And I know there were enough people interested in that property because of the Talanta Stadium. It's not far from there. It has very good access,” said Tuju in an interview on Spice FM.

According to Tuju, he believes he is the main person standing between certain interests and control of the property. He has alleged that this situation has exposed him to surveillance, intimidation, and threats, and says the matter has become deeply traumatic for him and his family.

He also claims that the presence of heavy security activity around the property reflects the intensity of the dispute, saying at one point that the site had more police vehicles than a divisional headquarters. Tuju maintains that this level of attention is evidence of the seriousness of the interests involved.

At the centre of the dispute is a sale carried out by the East African Development Bank (EADB), which Ultra Eureka Limited says lawfully acquired the property through a public auction conducted on October 1, 2024. The company maintains it is the registered owner following payment of sh450 million and subsequent transfer and registration of the property as Nairobi/Block 47/1399.

However, Tuju disputes the legality of the transaction, insisting that a court order preserving the status quo meant the property should not have changed hands until the case was fully determined. He alleges that despite this order, the auction proceeded and resulted in what he terms a “fake auction,” involving only one bidder and a sale price he says was far below the property’s value.

He maintains that the property, which he says was valued at about sh980 million, was allegedly sold for around sh420 million. Tuju argues that the process was irregular and should be set aside by the court, insisting that any change of ownership during the existence of court orders was unlawful.