Inside Ruto’s call as Gachagua lay hospitalised at the Karen Hospital
President William Ruto personally called a cardiologist attending to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during the dramatic events surrounding his impeachment in October 2024 while he was admitted at the Karen Hospital, court documents have now shed fresh light on the controversial episode.
The disclosure is contained in an affidavit filed by the specialist doctor, which places the Head of State at the centre of events on the day Gachagua was hospitalised with severe chest complications.
The medic states that the President reached out directly to inquire about his deputy’s condition as the Senate prepared to proceed with the impeachment trial.
According to the court filings, the call was made on October 17, 2024—the same day Gachagua was admitted to hospital complaining of chest pains.
The cardiologist confirmed that Ruto sought to understand the seriousness of the condition and whether the then Deputy President was fit to attend the proceedings.
In the affidavit, the doctor indicates that Gachagua was in no condition to participate in the hearing, effectively backing claims by his legal team that he was medically unfit to defend himself at the crucial stage of the Senate trial.
The revelation is significant because the Senate declined to adjourn the proceedings despite the illness and went ahead to conclude the process that ultimately led to his removal from office.
The new details have since become part of ongoing legal challenges contesting the legality and fairness of the impeachment process.
Lawyers representing Gachagua argue that the failure to halt proceedings despite clear medical advice violated his right to a fair hearing.
The doctor’s testimony underscores the severity of the situation, noting that the patient required urgent medical attention and close monitoring, reinforcing the position that attending the Senate session would have posed serious health risks.
The disclosure also raises political and constitutional questions, particularly regarding the extent of presidential involvement during the impeachment of a deputy.
While the call may be interpreted as a gesture of concern, it simultaneously places Ruto within the chain of events on a day that proved pivotal in Kenya’s first successful impeachment of a sitting Deputy President under the 2010 Constitution.
