In a letter dated August 19, 2025, Raphael Tuju tendered his resignation from the Jubilee Party to former President and party leader Uhuru Kenyatta. In the letter, Tuju expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve as Secretary-General and for the trust Kenyatta had extended to him despite their differing ethnic backgrounds, describing it as a bold step in Kenya’s polarised political landscape. He reflected on the 2018 handshake between Kenyatta and Raila Odinga, which he credited with stabilising the country but acknowledged had also heightened internal friction within Jubilee and soured relations with William Ruto, despite attempts at reconciliation. While noting that he no longer saw a role for himself within Jubilee, he kept the door open for possible collaboration with Kenyatta in the future.

Tuju’s entry into politics came in 2002 when he was elected Member of Parliament for Rarieda Constituency on a NARC ticket. His leadership saw him rise quickly to the Cabinet, where he held multiple portfolios. Although he lost his parliamentary seat in the 2007 elections, Tuju remained active in government, serving as Presidential Advisor and Special Envoy between 2008 and 2011, where he focused on issues of media, diversity, and national cohesion.

Ahead of the 2013 general election, Tuju launched the Party of Action (POA), an ambitious attempt to build a national political vehicle, although it failed to gain significant traction. He later joined the Jubilee Party and, in 2016, was appointed Secretary-General. In January 2018, President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed him Cabinet Secretary without Portfolio, a role he held until the end of Kenyatta’s administration in 2022. During this period, he played a central role in shaping Jubilee’s political strategies and later became the Executive Director of the Azimio la Umoja coalition secretariat, working alongside Raila Odinga and Kenyatta.

Tuju, was born on March 30, 1959. He attended Majiwa Primary School and Nakuru West Primary School before moving on to Starehe Boys’ Centre and School for his secondary education. Later, he earned a Master of Arts in Mass Communications from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom. Tuju’s professional life began in media, where he built a reputation as a journalist, television anchor, and producer of documentaries and commercials. He wrote newspaper columns and, in 1992, founded Ace Communications, which he directed until 2001. Alongside his media work, he consulted for international institutions such as the World Health Organisation, the World Bank, DFID, USAID, and UNDP, specialising in communication strategies.

Tuju’s career has not been without personal trials. He survived a plane crash in January 2003 during NARC celebrations that tragically killed two pilots and a cabinet minister. Years later, in February 2020, he was involved in a serious road accident on the Nairobi–Nakuru highway while travelling to the Late President Daniel Arap Moi’s burial. Still, he recovered after an extended period of treatment. Tuju was awarded the Elder of the Golden Heart (EGH), Kenya’s second-highest civilian honour, by President Mwai Kibaki.