President William Ruto has sharply criticised the United Opposition leadership over what he described as a “planned self-abduction” narrative surrounding the recent incident involving Raphael Tuju.

Speaking during a public address in Siaya County on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, as part of his ongoing development tour of the Nyanza region, President Ruto dismissed the claims pushed by opposition figures, accusing them of politicising a deeply personal and sensitive situation. He argued that instead of offering genuine support, certain leaders had chosen to exploit Tuju’s circumstances for political mileage.

“Unajua hawa watu walienda kumdanganya Tuju wakamwambia aende ajifiche kwa bedroom yake na aseme ati amekuwa abducted. Tuju needs honest friends. He needs advice, but he does not need scavengers who are trying to scavenge about the misfortunes of a citizen. We want to give Tuju advice so that he can be helped, but he does not need those scavengers,” Ruto said.

According to the Head of State, what Tuju required was sincere and trustworthy allies during this difficult period, rather than individuals driven by opportunism

The President further expressed concern over what he termed a growing trend of misinformation and sensationalism in the political space, saying that Tuju needed advice on how to pay his arrears rather than plotting for his own abduction. He warned that such conduct not only undermines truth but also erodes public confidence in leadership.

Tuju’s disappearance saga

The case of Raphael Tuju commenced when Tuju was reported missing under unfavourable conditions on Sunday, March 23, 2026, and this issue raised eyebrows among the people, and speculation was widespread throughout the nation.

Tuju surfaced on Monday, March 23, 2026, and the uncertainty was over, but a new question of what happened to him emerged.

Soon, after his re-emergence, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) confirmed to have arrested him as investigations were stepped in to look into how the incident took place.