The lawyer revealed to the Senate plenary that the condition was reported by his doctors who advised Gachagua to rest.
Lawyer Paul Muite has revealed that Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was admitted to the Karen Hospital in Nairobi while experiencing severe chest pains.
The lawyer revealed to the Senate plenary that the condition was reported by his doctors who advised Gachagua to rest. Muite however noted that he was unable to communicate with him directly.
“I have been able to contact the doctors at Karen Hospital…there is a team of doctors looking at the deputy president. Because of his condition, I was not able to directly talk to him but the advice of his doctors said he must have complete rest for the time being.”
“I have contacted the doctors who are attending to DP Gachagua and I was informed that he is currently suffering intense chest pains,” Muite revealed. He however disclosed that the doctors did not permit him to visit the second-in-command during this time.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua with lawyer Paul Muite in Senate. /X
Muite further revealed that Gachagua is not choosing to appear before the Senate for his impeachment trial. Following this, he pleaded with Senate Speaker Amason Kingi to grant Gachagua five additional days to take the witness stand during his impeachment trial, which would mean that the trial would be pushed to Tuesday, October 22.
“The choice of the language choosing to appear is to be read with Article 145 which obligates the Senate to accord the DP an opportunity to be heard. I leave the matter in your hands, Speaker,” Muite stated.
“I suggest Article 145, sub-article 6(b) does not have the time limit of 10 days. Give the DP, in the interest of justice, given the weight of removing a DP from office, a couple of days. What I had in mind, I would add humbly request that a couple of days I had in mind be up to Tuesday.
National Assembly counsel Eric Gumbo, however, disagreed with the plea and argued that postponing the trial would conflict with the established timelines, as the matter is a time-bound process. He stated that Gachagua’s counsel should take over the proceedings as his representative.
“Because Gachagua has had an opportunity to present all the material that he wanted to present and had an opportunity to cross-examine witnesses, all that is left is highlighting. All that is left is we can forego the cross-examination and he highlights the materials he has submitted before the House,” he noted.
The news of Gachagua’s illness immediately sent the Senate into an abyss of confusion. Earlier, Gachagua was reported to be missing during the plenary session.
The Deputy President’s legal team was forced to raise concerns at the Speaker of the Senate, requesting more time for them to look for the deputy president who was nowhere to be found.
The Senators hearing the proceedings requested for Speaker Amason Kingi to adjourn the proceedings until Gachagua is located. Muite then told the Senate, “The sad reality is that the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya has been taken very sick, and as I address Mr Speaker and this House, he is in the hospital.”
He added, “That is the sad reality.” Gachagua was meant to be cross-examined by the lawyers representing the National Assembly led by Senior Counsel James Orengo.
Following the events, the Speaker was compelled to grant lawmakers time for consultation while also engaging with the legal counsels representing both the National Assembly and Gachagua to determine the next course of action for the House.
A collage of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Parliament Buildings. /NTV.PARLIAMENT