Former Chief Administrative Secretary David Osiany has weighed in on the ongoing controversy surrounding the auction and takeover of property linked to former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju in Nairobi’s Karen area, calling for transparency and urging authorities to clearly explain the legal process behind the move.
In a public statement, Osiany said he had followed the developments with concern after reports emerged that Tuju lost control of his well-known Dari Restaurant, a property that has now been rebranded as Tamarind Brasserie following its auction.
The former CAS described the incident as emotionally distressing, saying it was difficult to watch the former minister react to the loss of a property reportedly valued at billions of shillings.
“I watched the sad occurrence at Tuju’s Dari Restaurant. Seeing the former minister in anguish and pain as he stared at the loss of a multibillion property was heartbreaking,” Osiany said.
The Karen property forms part of assets tied to a long-running loan dispute between Tuju’s companies and the East African Development Bank, which financed a hospitality and real estate project in the area.
The dispute has moved through several courts over the years, with the lender arguing that Tuju defaulted on loan repayments while Tuju has maintained that the bank failed to release part of the agreed financing.
Osiany said he could not comment on the legal merits of the dispute but raised questions about how the auction and takeover were carried out.
According to him, the heavy deployment of police officers during the operation appeared unusual for a normal auction process.
He also questioned reports that officers allegedly arrived at the property at night and that some concealed their identities.
“Even in approved auctions, there is rarely such a heavy police presence. The scale of force reported raises questions that deserve answers,” he said.
Osiany further called on the Judiciary of Kenya to publicly clarify the legal status of the case to avoid confusion among Kenyans.
He urged the courts to clearly outline whether all legal avenues had been exhausted, whether a valid order existed allowing the auction to proceed, and what options remain available to Tuju if he intends to challenge the outcome.
The former CAS concluded by expressing hope that the matter would ultimately be resolved through lawful processes.
“If this was an injustice, justice will eventually prevail. And if the auction was lawful, that truth should also be made clear,” he said.