Senate was thrown into a state of confusion on Thursday afternoon after Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua went missing during the plenary session.
The Deputy President's legal team was forced to issue a clarification after Gachagua failed to appear at the Senate where he had been lined up as a witness.
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi was forced to intervene querying the Paul Muite-led team where their client was. Muite told Kingi that he was unaware of where Gachagua was.
"Honourable Speaker, we are waiting for the deputy president and my colleagues can stand in for me, let me make enquiries where he is," Senior Counsel Paul Muite pleaded with Speaker Kingi.
It was at this point that Kingi granted the attorneys more time to locate the deputy president who was nowhere to be found.
The Senators who were seated keenly listening to the proceedings called on the speaker to adjourn the proceedings. Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale while addressing the plenary, called on Speaker Kingi to suspend the proceedings until Gachagua's legal team could establish his whereabouts.
"To the extent that when we stand down business in this house, it normally arises from a communication from the chair that we are temporarily suspending the proceedings," Senator Khalwale commented.
"We have not done this and we are seated inside the chamber, the mess is in place, I do not know whether you want this to be the new standard. Could you guide us, we have no idea how long we are going to wait," he added.
However, moments later, DP Gachagua's lead Counsel Paul Muite informed the plenary that the deputy president had reportedly fallen ill while attending the proceedings and that he had been rushed to the hospital.
The second in command had been scheduled to appear as a witness in his defence. The National Assembly's legal team was also expected to cross-examine him.
"The sad reality is that the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya has been taken very sick, and as I address this House, he is in the hospital. That is the sad reality,” Muite announced.
Speaker Amason Kingi while issuing directives on the matter announced that the house had been adjourned until 5 pm.
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