Kenya’s embattled deputy president in hospital, says lawyer
Kenya’s embattled Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, has fallen ill and is in hospital, his lawyer said on Thursday, shortly before he was due to testify in his impeachment trial at the Senate.
“The unfortunate reality is that the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya has become very unwell and is currently hospitalised,” lawyer Paul Muite told the upper house of parliament, explaining Gachagua’s absence from the chamber.
The news prompted Senate Speaker Amason Kingi to suspend hearings until 5:00 pm (1400 GMT) when Gachagua is expected to testify.
“We expect the Deputy President to take the witness stand at 5. Unfortunately, this is a time-bound process. It is so ordered,” Kingi said.
The Senate trial, which began on Wednesday, follows a historic vote last week in the National Assembly to impeach Gachagua on 11 charges, including corruption, insubordination, undermining the government, and engaging in ethnically divisive politics.
AFP
