Babu Owino Blasts Ruto Over Grabbing of Rafael's Tuju Land

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has publicly come out in defense of former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju, accusing President William Ruto and his administration of interfering in an ongoing property dispute involving Tuju’s prime land in Karen, Nairobi.

The dispute revolves around multi-billion-shilling properties linked to Tuju, including Tamarind Karen and Dari Business Park. The properties are tied to a long-running loan disagreement involving the East African Development Bank. The matter stems from financial facilities reportedly issued years ago, which later resulted in legal action after alleged default.

Recently, the High Court of Kenya dismissed Tuju’s attempt to block enforcement measures, effectively allowing auctioneers to proceed with recovery efforts. The ruling marked a major setback for the former CS, whose legal team had sought to halt the sale of the properties.

The situation escalated when Tuju confronted auctioneers at the Karen premises, strongly resisting attempts to take control of the property. The standoff drew national attention and reignited political debate around the case.

Babu Owino’s intervention has now shifted the narrative from a strictly legal battle to a political confrontation. The MP accused the government of using state machinery to intimidate Tuju and framed the issue as an example of political persecution rather than a standard debt recovery process.

However, no evidence has been presented showing direct presidential involvement in the enforcement process. As it stands, the dispute remains a court-sanctioned financial recovery matter between Tuju and the lender. Owino has not filed any known legal application in the case but has taken a vocal public stance against the developments.

What makes this development significant is the political optics. Tuju has previously served in senior government positions and maintained influence across political divides. Owino’s defense could be interpreted as either genuine solidarity or strategic positioning in a broader political chess game.

For now, the case continues in court while enforcement efforts move forward. Whether this remains a financial dispute or evolves into a deeper political showdown will depend on what happens next in the legal arena.

If you want, I can also break down the legal background of the debt itself and explain where Tuju’s case stands strategically.