DP Gachagua falls ill, admitted before taking stand at Senate

Kenya's Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has been taken seriously ill and admitted to hospital, his counsel Paul Muite informed the Senate on Thursday afternoon.

The DP was expected to testify in the Senate from 2.30pm on Thursday, but his counsel informed the Senate that his client was suffering from intense chest pains and was admitted to Karen Hospital in Nairobi.

This prompted the Senate Speaker Amason Kingi to suspend the trial until 5pm when Mr Gachagua was expected to take the witness stand.

However, at 5pm, counsel Muite returned to the Senate stating that his client was still ill and unable to come. He asked for a couple of days ahead up to next Tuesday when the DP would be expected to be well and able to take the witness stand to defend himself.

Earlier, the Senate began its second and final day of the impeachment against Kenya's Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Thursday.

The trial is being conducted before the full House of the Senate after it abandoned a process to set up an 11-member committee to investigate the charges.

The National Assembly voted to impeach DP Gachagua last Tuesday, on 11 charges which included corruption, undermining the government and stirring ethnic hatred.

At the trial’s opening on Wednesday, Gachagua stood in the Senate chamber as each charge was read aloud, to which he pleaded not guilty.

Should the Senate uphold the impeachment, at least two-thirds of the 67-member House must vote in favour of the motion.

If the impeachment is approved, he will be barred from holding public office.

The Senate is expected to debate the motion on Thursday evening at the conclusion of the trial before voting on it.

The Senate may extend proceedings to Friday, the final day allowed by law.

If impeached, Gachagua is anticipated to challenge the decision in court.