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In the serene, upscale suburb of Karen, Nairobi, former Cabinet Secretary and veteran politician Raphael Tuju is waging a desperate fight to save what he calls a substantial part of his life’s investment. On March 9, 2026, the High Court delivered a crushing verdict: Justice Josephine Wayua Mong’are struck out a suit filed by Tuju’s company, Dari Limited, clearing the path for the East African Development Bank (EADB) to auction prime properties used as collateral for a long-defaulted loan.
The ruling has ignited a tense standoff. Tuju confronted auctioneers attempting to take control of the Dari Business Park, vowing defiance with stark words: “They will have to kill me first and organise a big burial for me in Rarieda before they take this property.” Reports of security personnel, alleged goons on motorbikes, and restricted access have led to arrests and heightened drama at the site.
Adding another layer of intrigue, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) arrested a former High Court judge, Joseph Mutava, city lawyer Kimani Wachira, and two others on the same day as the ruling. The suspects are accused of soliciting approximately Sh10.4 million (about USD 80,000) to influence a High Court decision in Tuju’s favor in the ongoing commercial dispute. Tuju has described the incident as part of a broader pattern of intimidation and corruption targeting him.
What began as an ambitious real estate and hospitality venture has unraveled into one of Kenya’s most protracted high-stakes debt sagas. Court records, international judgments, and public statements reveal a familiar story of ambitious borrowing, default, escalating interest, and years of litigation that have now reached a critical turning point.
The saga traces back to April 2015, when Dari Limited secured a substantial loan facility from the EADB—originally around $9.3 million, equivalent to roughly Sh932 million at the time. The funds were intended to finance luxury developments in Karen, including the Entim Sidai Wellness Sanctuary, the Tamarind Karen restaurant, and the Dari Business Park. Tuju has consistently maintained that the bank approved a larger amount—approximately Sh1.2 billion—including funds for land acquisition and development, plus his own equity contribution. He claims the bank disbursed money for the land but withheld critical development funds, breaching the agreement and leaving the projects incomplete and unable to generate revenue to service the debt.
The properties—prime assets in one of Nairobi’s most exclusive neighborhoods—were charged as security. When Dari Limited defaulted, the consequences followed swiftly. By 2019, a summary judgment from the High Court of Justice in England and Wales ordered repayment of over $15 million (around Sh1.95 billion at then-prevailing rates). That foreign judgment was registered and enforced in Kenyan courts starting in 2020.
Over the years, interest, penalties, and legal costs have driven the claimed amount higher. Media reports cite figures ranging from Sh1.9 billion to as much as Sh4.5 billion, depending on inclusions. Tuju and his company have challenged the process at every turn, arguing that the bank violated the contract by not releasing full funds, disputing valuations, and alleging procedural irregularities. They raised constitutional issues and sought repeated injunctions to halt auctions and transfers.
The legal battle has spanned multiple levels of Kenya’s judiciary and even crossed borders. Appeals to the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court were dismissed, with courts rejecting new evidence and fresh attempts to block enforcement. Receivers were appointed years ago, and earlier defiance of court orders led to fines against Tuju’s side. In October 2024, Dari Limited filed yet another application seeking to stop the auction, claiming violations of prior interim orders.
Justice Mong’are’s March 9 ruling labeled the latest suit an abuse of process and res judicata—meaning the core issues had already been conclusively decided by domestic and international courts. She struck out the claims, lifted blocking orders, and allowed the auction to proceed. While Tuju was granted leave to appeal (with a mention scheduled soon after), no stay of execution was issued, leaving the properties vulnerable.
The assets at stake represent significant value: the Entim Sidai Wellness Sanctuary (on L.R. No. 11320/3), Tamarind Karen and Dari Business Park (on L.R. No. 1055/165), and related developments. In Karen’s premium market, their worth runs into billions of shillings.
For Tuju—a former Rarieda MP, Jubilee Party Secretary-General, and senior government figure who invested heavily in this vision—the potential loss is deeply personal. The standoff at his properties underscores the human cost of the dispute, blending financial ruin with allegations of conspiracy, intimidation, and judicial interference.
The case also highlights broader challenges in Kenya’s development finance landscape: the perils of large-scale loans for ambitious projects when execution falters or disbursements fall short; the binding force of international judgments in local enforcement; and persistent questions about judicial integrity amid high-profile bribery probes.
As auctioneers prepare to move forward and Tuju’s appeal looms, the fate of his Karen empire hangs in the balance. Whether through settlement, a successful appeal, or the hammer falling at auction, this chapter marks a stark reminder of how visionary investments can spiral into financial catastrophe in Kenya’s high-stakes real estate sector.