NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 23 — Efforts to reach former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju have so far been unsuccessful, with his mobile phone switched off, police said Monday as investigations into his reported disappearance intensified.In a statement, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said Tuju was reported missing by his family on Sunday at Karen Police Station after his vehicle was found abandoned in Nairobi’s Karen suburb.Police said the car was discovered along Miotoni Lane with its hazard lights on. A security guard from a nearby institution alerted authorities, prompting officers from Karen Police Station to respond.Crime scene investigators later processed the area, and the vehicle was towed to Karen Police Station for forensic examination.The DCI said a specialised investigative team has been deployed and is working with other government agencies to establish Tuju’s whereabouts and the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.“Efforts to reach Hon. Tuju have so far been unsuccessful, as his mobile phone remains switched off,” the agency said, adding that investigators are using all available resources and techniques.Denied access However, detectives were denied access to Tuju’s residence along Mwitu Drive by family members. The agency urged all parties to cooperate fully and allow unrestricted access to relevant locations and information.Authorities also appealed to members of the public with information about Tuju’s whereabouts—or who may have witnessed suspicious activity in the Miotoni Lane area before, during or after March 21—to come forward.Earlier Sunday, Siaya Governor James Orengo said the former minister had gone missing under unclear circumstances following the discovery of his abandoned vehicle.Speaking during a church service in Narok, Orengo suggested Tuju may have been kidnapped and urged Kenyans to pray for him.“I want to inform you that our brother Tuju has been kidnapped. His vehicle was abandoned somewhere, and the car keys left there. Let us pray for him because he has gone through a lot,” Orengo said.Lawyer and legislator Otiende Amollo said Tuju’s legal team was working to establish his whereabouts while pressing authorities for answers.Tuju’s reported disappearance comes amid a prolonged legal dispute over the ownership and planned auction of Dari Business Park in Karen.On March 18, the Commercial Court declined to grant temporary orders sought by Tuju to block the auction, directing that the case be heard on a priority basis.Justice Moses Ado ruled that the application could not be granted without hearing the respondents and scheduled the matter for April 7.Commercial Court declines temporary orders in Tuju’s Dari auction disputeThe dispute involves lenders seeking to recover debts exceeding $15 million linked to properties owned by Tuju’s company, Dari Limited.Authorities have not commented on Tuju’s earlier claims that powerful government figures were pressuring him to vacate the Karen property after he declined an offer to sell.