Inside Tuju’s Multi-Billion Property Battle: How Foreign Judgments Are Enforced in Kenya

The dispute involving Raphael Tuju and the threatened auction of his Dari Business Park property has attracted national attention and political debate. In this episode of Court Helicopter Explainer, lawyer Danstan Omari explains the legal framework behind the matter, focusing on the Foreign Judgments (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act. The discussion outlines how a judgment issued in the United Kingdom in a loan dispute with the East African Development Bank was brought to Kenya and registered in the High Court of Kenya so it could be enforced locally. The explainer also breaks down the legal steps involved in recognizing and enforcing foreign court decisions in Kenya, including the grounds under which such a judgment can be challenged. It explains why the Kenyan court declined to set aside the UK judgment and clarifies that the Chief Justice cannot interfere with judicial independence in ongoing court matters. The program highlights the consequences of loan default and explains how lenders may legally enforce repayment, including auctioning property used as security once a judgment has been registered and execution is allowed.