Former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju has spoken publicly for the first time about what he says has been the personal cost of his long-running legal dispute, telling worshippers in Bondo that his children have faced harassment and humiliation.
Tuju made the emotional remarks during Sunday service at St Michael and All Angels ACK Cathedral in Bondo Town, Siaya County, where he appealed for prayers for his children.
He said that while he had been able to endure the pressure through his faith, his children had struggled with the consequences of the dispute.
“My own children right now are going through a lot of tribulations. I have gone through tribulations, but I can manage it. I’m strong enough to manage it through my faith, but my children need prayers,” Tuju said.
He said the difficulties he was facing should not have affected his children.
“Whatever I’m going through should not be visited on them, but unfortunately it has been visited on them,” he said.
Tuju said he had deliberately kept the matter private until his remarks at the church service.
“I’ve not gone public with this. This is the first time I’m talking about it in public, but my children have been harassed, humiliated in so many ways,” he said.
He did not provide details of the alleged harassment or identify those he believed were responsible.
Despite the difficulties, Tuju said his family remained united and continued to rely on their faith.
“We stay strong as a family because of the grace of God,” he said.
A legal battle that has lasted years
Tuju’s comments come as he and his company, Dari Limited, remain involved in a long-running dispute with the East African Development Bank (EADB) and other parties over a loan and properties used as security.
The dispute has involved proceedings in Kenya and abroad. In March 2026, the High Court struck out an amended suit by Tuju and Dari Limited seeking to stop the enforcement of the lenders’ claims over properties in Karen. The court subsequently allowed them to seek an appeal.
The case has continued to evolve. On September 25, 2026, the Supreme Court lifted earlier recusal orders involving four of its judges in a related dispute involving Tuju, his family, Dari Limited and the EADB. The decision allows the judges to resume handling the matter after a nearly two-year interruption.
The Judiciary has previously said the property dispute arose from efforts by lenders and associated parties to recover a longstanding debt secured against two properties.
Tuju has disputed aspects of the lenders’ position and has pursued further legal challenges.
The continuing proceedings mean that the dispute remains before the courts, where the competing claims will be determined through the judicial process.
Tuju has shifted attention from the properties and court filings to the effect the dispute has had on his family.
His appeal in Bondo was a personal one: that his children be spared further pressure as the legal battle continues.
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