Kenya's Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was on Thursday, October 17, admitted to a hospital in the capital, Nairobi, according to reports from the country.
On the final day of his impeachment trial at Senate, Gachagua was expected to undergo cross-examination from lawyers representing the National Assembly.
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His lead counsel, Senior Counsel Paul Muite, told the Senate that Gachagua was taken ill.
"The sad reality is that the DP has been taken ill and is currently in hospital. That is the sad reality," Muite said.
Giving a report on the DP progress to the Senate, Muite said Gachagua is suffering from intense chest pains.
"I have contacted the doctors who are attending to DP Gachagua and I was informed that he is currently suffering intense chest pains," Muite said. Muite earlier requested Senate Speaker Amason Kingi to provide Gachagua's legal team with time to monitor his progress before the session can resume.
"My proposal is that you give me the rest of the day to have an assessment of the DP situation and come back by 5 pm after seeing him and speaking to the doctor," Muite said.
Consequently, Kingi suspended the impeachment trial until 5 pm.
"We will suspend this sitting and resume at exactly 5 pm. We expect the Deputy President then to take the witness stand at 5 pm. This is a time-bound process, unfortunately," Kingi said.
Later, at 5pm, Muite returned to the Senate to report that his client was still ill and was unable to appear. Muite then requested for until next Tuesday when his client would be expected to feel better and take the witness stand to defend himself.
Later, Senators voted in favour of continuing the impeachment trial late Thursday without the DP standing to defend himself. Gachagua's lawyers then left the Senate chamber.
The impeachment hearing began on Wednesday at the Senate after the National Assembly approved the motion last week. It is expected to end Thursday.
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Kenya's National Assembly voted on Tuesday last week to impeach the deputy president, on 11 charges which included corruption, undermining the government and stirring ethnic hatred.
Gachagua denied all charges and has said the impeachment motion, backed by opposition lawmakers and allies of President William Ruto, was based on falsehoods that constituted a political lynching.
To remove the DP from office, at least 45 senators out of the total 67 are required to approve.
If eventually impeached, the DP can challenge the decision in court.
