DP Rigathi Gachagua hospitalised, lawyer Paul Muite tells Senate

Senior Counsel Paul Muite has claimed that Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has been hospitalised.

The news emerged during a chaotic session at the Senate where Gachagua was expected to testify at 2:30 pm regarding accusations made against him by the National Assembly.

However, he failed to appear, prompting confusion and concern among lawmakers.

Gachagua's legal team was compelled to cut short its defence and expressed their concerns to Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, who was leading the session.

They requested additional time to locate the Deputy President, who had seemingly vanished before the hearing.

"Honourable Speaker, we are waiting for the Deputy President, and my colleagues can stand in for me; let me make inquiries about where he is," Muite pleaded with Speaker Kingi as the situation unfolded.

The Senate proceedings were temporarily halted to allow Gachagua’s legal team to search for him before the plenary could continue.

Amid the tension, Senators called on the Speaker to adjourn the session. Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, addressing the plenary, urged Speaker Kingi to suspend proceedings until Gachagua was present.

“At the rise of the House at 1:15 pm, I made it clear that upon resumption, the DP was going to take the stand. We came in here; I communicated the programme for the afternoon and said we were going to execute it with military precision because we needed to conclude business today. Senior Counsel Paul Muite indicated that he cannot get hold of his client; that is not the concern of this House, so time is running out. The floor is available to the DP and no other Senator,” Speaker Kingi stated.

In response, Muite reiterated the seriousness of Gachagua’s condition, stating, “May I start by expressing apologies and regrets that the Deputy President is not here? The sad reality is that the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya has been taken sick, very sick, and as I address this honourable House, he is in the hospital."

Kingi suspended the sitting until 5 pm to allow Muite to track Gachagua who will then take to the stand.