Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o has criticised the use of police officers in a long-running commercial dispute involving former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju.

In a statement issued on Sunday, March 15, 2026, Nyong’o questioned the conduct of authorities after dozens of police officers moved into Tuju’s property in Karen, Nairobi, during the early hours of Saturday.

The dispute stems from a debt case between Tuju and the East African Development Bank. He took a loan of Ksh.943.9 million to fund the acquisition and development of commercial units for sale in Nairobi.

The loan later went into default. With interest and other costs added, the debt now stands at about Ksh 2.2 billion.

Tension escalated early on March 14 when more than 50 police officers, reportedly from the Rapid Response Unit, arrived at Dari Business Park in Karen. Officers sealed off the compound, removed Tuju and several other people from the premises and locked the gates.

Nyong’o questions police role

Governor Nyong’o issued his statement a day after the incident. He said the events raised serious questions about how institutions tasked with protecting the rule of law handled the matter.

“The recent events surrounding the handling of Hon. Raphael Tuju’s loan dispute and commercial affairs raise serious questions about the conduct of institutions entrusted with upholding the rule of law in our country,” Nyong’o said.

He said Kenya had paid a high price to build a democratic system grounded in civil liberties.

“Kenya has travelled a long and painful road to build a democratic society grounded in the protection of civil liberties and the rights of its citizens. That journey demanded immense sacrifice, including the loss of lives,” he said.

Nyong’o said it was worrying when state institutions appeared to undermine those principles.

“The use of uniformed police officers whose primary duty is to maintain law and order to facilitate actions that seemingly bypass established legal processes is troubling,” he said.

According to the governor, debt recovery should remain within civil law processes carried out through clear and transparent legal procedures.

“One must ask: under what legal provision are such actions justified?” he added.

Nyong’o also defended Tuju’s public record, saying the former minister deserved fair treatment regardless of the dispute.

“Hon. Raphael Tuju is a former senior public servant who has served this country at the highest levels of leadership. Whatever the merits of the commercial dispute at hand, he is neither a fugitive nor a criminal deserving of treatment that subjects him to humiliation or unnecessary public embarrassment,” he said.

The governor urged authorities to exercise restraint and respect due process.

“Those entrusted with public authority must exercise it with restraint, legality, and respect for due process,” he said.

He warned that actions perceived as arbitrary could damage public trust, investor confidence and the country’s international reputation.

Nyong’o ended his statement with a broader appeal for fairness in the justice system.

“Ultimately, every Kenyan—regardless of status, creed, or political inclination—deserves fair and just treatment under the law. Otherwise, the solemn pledge contained in our national anthem, ‘Haki iwe ngao na mlinzi,’ risks becoming not a guiding national principle, but merely words we recite.”