Cardiologist Dr Daniel Gikonyo has appeared in court for cross-examination over the medical condition of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during the period of his impeachment proceedings in 2024.
Dr Gikonyo, who had sworn an affidavit filed before the court by Gachagua’s legal team, appeared in the witness dock ahead of questioning by lawyers representing the various parties in the matter.
The proceedings form part of a petition in which Gachagua is seeking payment of his full benefits and dues following his removal from office.
Gachagua arrived in court Wednesday morning accompanied by his wife Pastor Dorcas and other political allies as the hearing resumed.
At the centre of the case is an affidavit dated April 28, 2026, sworn by Dr Gikonyo, a specialist in adult cardiology at Karen Hospital.
In the affidavit, the doctor stated that Gachagua had been admitted to Karen Hospital on October 17, 2024, after complaining of severe chest pain during the height of the impeachment process.
According to the affidavit, Gachagua was placed under Dr Gikonyo’s care for specialised treatment and monitoring.
The cardiologist further told the court that while the former Deputy President was admitted at the hospital, President William Ruto personally telephoned him to inquire about Gachagua’s medical condition.
The affidavit has since become one of the key disputed documents in the ongoing proceedings.
Gachagua’s lawyers argue that it provides crucial medical confirmation that the former deputy president was genuinely ill during the impeachment period.
His legal team previously defended the introduction of the affidavit before court, maintaining it did not seek to introduce new issues into the petition but instead served to support claims surrounding Gachagua’s health condition at the time.
Lawyers representing Gachagua argued that the medical evidence was necessary to demonstrate the physical state he was in as the impeachment proceedings unfolded.
However, the affidavit has also attracted scrutiny from opposing parties, who are expected to test the credibility, timing and contents of the medical records during cross-examination.
State lawyers argued that the claims — particularly those relating to the alleged phone call by the President — required independent verification and rebuttal before they could be admitted into the proceedings.
Several parties opposing the application include Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and the Senate.
