Governor Nyong'o slams use of police in Tuju's loan dispute

In a statement, Nyong'o questioned the deployment of uniformed police officers in a civil debt matter, warning that such conduct threatens Kenya's democratic foundations and investor confidence.

"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," Nyong'o said.

The Governor noted that debt recovery and commercial disputes falls squarely within the domain of civil law, and should be resolved through transparent and lawful procedures.

He condemned what he termed "nocturnal operations and coercive displays of state power" in a matter of a civil nature.

"Under what legal provision are such actions justified?" he posed.

Nyong'o also pushed back against what he characterised as the humiliation of a former senior public servant, reminding Kenyans that Tuju had served the 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," the Governor stated.

The Kisumu Governor went further to link the conduct of institutions to Kenya's broader economic ambitions, warning that using excess force in the exercise of public authority would undermine investor confidence and the country's global standing.

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

Tuju was forcibly removed from his Karen property by armed police on Saturday. The property has been at the centre of a long-running dispute between Tuju and a bank, which auctioned it after allegedly defaulting on a loan used to develop the site. 

This follows a recent letter from Tuju to Chief Justice Martha Koome, in which he accused elements within the Judiciary of corruption related to the matter.

The development comes after auctioneers, accompanied by security personnel and a group of individuals, attempted to take control of the premises on Wednesday.

The standoff arose after a court ruling cleared the way for the auction of the property to recover a debt estimated at more than Ksh.1.9 billion, in a case that has been in litigation for several years. The court, however, granted Tuju leeway to appeal the ruling.