Kenyan Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, who is currently facing an impeachment trial, has failed to appear in the Senate after he landed in the hospital, his lawyer said. 

Mr Gachagua was due to appear in the senate to defend himself before a vote was due on Thursday about whether to remove him from the office. 

“The sad reality is that the deputy president of the Republic of Kenya has been taken sick and is… in hospital,” said his lawyer Paul Muite.

Two-thirds of the 67 senators are required to impeach Mr Gachagua.

The deputy president faces 11 charges, including corruption, inciting ethnic divisions, and undermining government.

The Speaker of parliament, Amasom Kingi, said they were expecting the deputy president to take the witness stand on Thursday.  

“This is a time-bound process, unfortunately,” Mr Kingi said. 

He added that the impeachment trial cannot be legally extended beyond Friday.

On Wednesday, Mr Gachagua began his trial and pleaded not guilty to each of the charges as they were read out in the house.

The majority members of the parliament in the National Assembly last week voted to approve Mr Gachagua’s impeachment, setting the stage for the Senate trial. 

The deputy president fell out with President William Ruto two years after they were both elected on a joint ticket.

In June, the rift between the duo came to a head when Mr Gachagua, in an act seen as undermining the president, blamed the head of the intelligence agency for not properly briefing Mr Ruto and the government over the magnitude of mass protests against unpopular tax hikes.

Mr Ruto had just been forced to withdraw the taxes in a huge blow to his authority. He sacked his cabinet and brought in members of the opposition to his government.