Former Raphael Tuju resurfaced on Monday, a day after his reported disappearance prompted fears of abduction. Speaking to local Citizen TV, Tuju said he went into hiding after noticing he was being followed by an unmarked vehicle.
He explained that he took a detour onto a less-travelled road to evade the vehicle before abandoning his car, which authorities would have been searching for.
“My family is very traumatised… and I consider myself blessed because there are many Kenyans in unmarked graves,” Tuju said, expressing gratitude to Kenyans and opposition politicians who had supported him. He cited past cases of abduction and killings in Kenya as a reason for avoiding police intervention initially.
Earlier, Kenyan police had launched an investigation into his disappearance and appealed to the public for information. Tuju and his driver were reported missing on Saturday while en route to a radio interview. Police later found his vehicle abandoned with hazard lights on in Karen, an upmarket Nairobi suburb, and said his phone was switched off.
Tuju has been involved in a prolonged legal battle over the auction and takeover of properties linked to an unsettled bank loan worth over $15 million (£11m), under his company, Dari Limited. He recently alleged that police officers forcibly took control of his business premises, claims the government has not commented on.
His lawyer, Paul Nyamodi, confirmed that Tuju had filed a police report before his disappearance regarding being trailed by an unmarked vehicle.
Opposition politician Kalonzo Musyoka welcomed Tuju’s safe return, saying, “We thank God that our brother is alive and well,” while cautioning the public about potential abduction threats.
Tuju’s reappearance appears to have calmed immediate fears, though the circumstances surrounding his disappearance continue to attract scrutiny.
