Senior Counsel Paul Muite has informed Senate Speaker Amason Kingi that Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was taken to the hospital during the lunch break of his impeachment trial on Thursday.
As Gachagua’s lead counsel, Muite explained that the DP had fallen ill and needed immediate medical attention.
He requested Speaker Kingi to grant him one or two hours to visit Gachagua and assess whether he would be able to continue with the proceedings.
Gachagua was scheduled to deliver his statement and undergo cross-examination by the lawyers representing the National Assembly.
“Apologies and regrets that the Deputy President is not here and the inconveniences and delays caused to the Speaker and the Senator. The position is that during that period that we went as I tried to find out why he’s not here, the sad reality is that the DP has been taken sick and is in hospital,” Muite said.
This he said as he requested to be accorded till 5:00 pm to bring a report about his client’s status.
However, the lead counsel representing the National Assembly requested that the trial proceed in Gachagua’s absence.
After considering both arguments, Speaker Amason Kingi suspended the Senate proceedings until 5:00 p.m.
Following the adjournment, Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo commented that the Deputy President appeared lethargic during the lunch break. The senator emphasized that, in accordance with the Constitution, Gachagua should be granted the opportunity to deliver his statement before the Senate.
“He looked tired. in fact he had lunch at his office with some senators from his region and they said he was okay and all of a sudden they said he was ill at his office and was rushed to hospital,” Maanzo said.
“So long as he in hospital, he must be accorded a fair chance to be listened to under the constitution and we’ll wait for the judgment of the speaker and if he says we proceed, then that will have its place in law.”
