Kenya’s Deputy President Hospitalized Amid Impeachment Trial, Lawyer Confirms

Kenya’s embattled Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, has been hospitalized, his lawyer, Paul Muite, informed the Senate on Thursday.

Gachagua was expected to testify in his impeachment trial but fell ill before appearing.

“The unfortunate reality is that the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya has become very unwell and is currently hospitalized,” Muite told the Senate, explaining Gachagua’s absence.

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi subsequently suspended the trial until 5:00 pm (1400 GMT), expressing the expectation that Gachagua would take the witness stand by then.

The Senate trial, which commenced on Wednesday, follows a vote in the National Assembly last week to impeach Gachagua on 11 charges, including corruption, insubordination, and engaging in ethnically divisive politics.