Raphael Tuju, EGH (born 30 March 1959) is a Kenyan politician. In 2002—after a career as a journalist, TV producer, and real estate investor—Tuju was elected to parliament and has served the Government of Kenya in various capacities since that time.
Education Background
He attended Majiwa Primary School and Nakuru West Primary School for his primary education and later joined Starehe Boys Center for his secondary education. He has a Masters of Arts in Mass Communication from the University of Leicester, UK.
Age
He is 61 years old as of 2020. Tuju was born on 30 March 1959.
Raphael Tuju Family
His father was called Henry Wilson Odiyo Tuju who died on 10 October 2015
aged 81.
Wealth
Raphael Tuju has an investment in Real estate, he is the owner of the posh Dari Restaurant in Karen. He has a house that did cost Sh20 million to build and rests on 10 acres of land in Karen.
Wife
Raphel Tuju was married Ruth Akinyi on 15th November 1986 but he divorced her after 27 years in marriage citing adultery. Tuju, in court papers, offered to pay a monthly maintenance allowance of Sh200,000 and to continue paying her balance of the Sh180,000 bank car loan in two monthly installments of Sh90,000. Tuju also offered to pay for any medical bills his wife may incur.
Tuju had expressed fears that if Akinyi is given more money than what he offered, she would use it to “maintain her jobless young man.” The ‘jobless young man’ in question was the late Tony Ogunda, young GSU officer Tuju accused in a sworn affidavit, for openly having an affair with his wife Ruth Akinyi Wanjare whom he alleged was ‘abusive and violent’.
“Sometime in the year 2011 I learned that my wife was adulterous and (had) become very abusive and disrespectful to an extent of playing her adulterous life even at the knowledge of my children and workers,” said Tuju in court documents filed by Laichena Mugambi & Company Advocates.
After the divorce Ruth runs a humble eatery along Mombasa Road.
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Career in Journalism
He began his career in journalism in the early 1980s and 1990s and was one of the pioneer Kenyan TV anchors working at KTN. He later established the Ace communications company. The company played a key role in producing documentaries that enlightened society on the deadly HIV virus in early 2000. The company saw him even work with international corporations like the UN. He later sold the company although he remains a silent shareholder at Ace Communications. He won an International Emmy award for TV production.
He was a columnist for Local Newspapers notably the East African Standard.
Marriage, Children, and Divorce
Tuju married Ruth Akinyi on November 15, 1986, and they have children together. Their firstborn is a son who worked as a pilot while the twin daughters are banking and fashion design industries, respectively. Later Tuju and his wife separated after they have a marriage for 27 years, claiming that his wife had become adulterous and violent. They divorced in 2013.
Political Career
In 2002, Tuju was elected as a member of parliament (MP) from Rarieda constituency in the December 2002 parliamentary election a member of parliament (MP) for Rarieda constituency. He served until 2007, in which time he is credited with the building of five (5) new secondary schools to increase high school enrollment in the region. He also implemented a major water project for the Rarieda people and introduced an innovative mobile hospital to decrease infant mortality as a result of malaria and HIV/AIDS.
The National Rainbow Coalition took power in 2003. Between 2003 and 2005, Mr. Tuju held the portfolios of Minister of Information and Communications and Minister for Tourism and Wildlife. By 2005 he had become well known for his feud with then roads minister Raila Odinga. His political career was believed to be in danger, but on 8 December 2005, he became foreign minister in a cabinet reshuffle.
Prior to the 2005 referendum vote in Kenya, Tuju formed the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) with a view to swaying votes away from the “orange No campaign”. He joined Narc through the LDP. This was seen as an act of betrayal by his Rarieda constituents and by extension the Luo Nyanza populace of which he was a member.
Tuju served as Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Minister from the end of 2005 to the end of 2007.
On 5 August 2007, at the 29th Assilah Cultural Festival in Asillah, Morocco, Tuju derided European governments for policies that inhibited trade with Africa, of ramming punitive policies down the throats of poor African nations. He attacked unjust tariff and non-tariff barriers that would stifle the growth of Africa and widen the resource gap with Europe.
Tuju, running as a candidate of Kibaki’s Party of National Unity, lost his seat in the December 2007 parliamentary election. He was replaced as Foreign Minister by Moses Wetangula in the Cabinet named by Kibaki on 8 January 2008.
From 2008–2011 Tuju served as Advisor to the President of the Republic of Kenya, on matters related to media and the management of diversity. He also served as Special Envoy of the President on various missions.
In 2012, Tuju launched his new political vehicle for the presidency, the Party of Action (POA). In 2017, he became secretary-general of the newly formed Jubilee Party.
In 2018, Tuju was named by President Uhuru Kenyatta as cabinet secretary without a portfolio.
Raphael Tuju Accident
Cabinet Secretary and Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju were injured in an accident after his official car collided head-on with a matatu along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway. The CS was headed for Kabarak to attend the late Daniel Moi’s funeral when the incident happened at about 6.45 am at the Kijabe area. His driver sustained a fractured hand while his bodyguard had bruises. Tuju complained of chest pains after the accident. Several passengers in the matatu traveling in the opposite direction were also injured and rushed to the Kijabe Mission Hospital. Central police commander Patrick Lumumba said the matatu had swerved to avoid hitting a car that had stopped ahead of it abruptly when it collided head-on with that of Tuju.
“The driver says he was avoiding to hit another car when he collided with the other car carrying the CS. Those injured are in hospital,” he said. He added that they are investigating the incident.
The CS was attended to at the Kijabe Hospital after the accident.
Raphael Tuju Job History
- February 2018: Cabinet Minister without Portfolio.
- August 2011 – 4th December 2012: Presidential Aspirant
- 1999 – 2003: Lead Consultant of IEC Component of the DFID funded
- 2000 – 2002: Communication Advisor of WHO/UNAIDS.
- 2000 – 2001: Lead Consultant of Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP).
- 1994 – 1995: Chief public relations Consultant of Population
Services International. - 1992 – 2001: Founder & Director of Ace Communications.
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