The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has opened an inquiry into the death of Nairobi-based lawyer Chris Mwendwa, following allegations of medical negligence at a hospital in South C estate where he had sought treatment.
According to preliminary findings, Mwendwa visited the facility on December 18, 2025, for what was described by family members as a minor surgical procedure involving his digestive system. Relatives say he appeared well and in good spirits before heading to the hospital, even informing them that he was rushing in for the procedure and would check in later.
That optimism, however, quickly turned into distress. Mwendwa’s brother told investigators that later that day, the family received a call from the hospital informing them that he had been admitted and that they needed to speak with him. At around 12:17pm, another call followed, this time urging the family to rush to the facility because the procedure had not gone as expected.
“Christopher chatted with the rest of us and happily said he was rushing to the hospital,” his brother recounted. “When they first called me, they simply said my brother was in the hospital and that they needed to talk to me.”
Between 3pm and 4pm, the family and colleagues were informed that Mwendwa had died. The Assistant Chairperson of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), Mwaura Kabata, said the news came as a shock, adding that hospital officials were reluctant to clearly explain what procedures had been carried out or what may have gone wrong.
As part of the investigation, the DCI has since identified and recorded a statement from the doctor who attended to Mwendwa. According to the doctor’s account, after administering 22 millilitres of propofol, Mwendwa’s blood pressure dropped, his heart rate increased, and he developed breathing difficulties, resulting in reduced oxygen supply.
A post-mortem examination conducted by a government pathologist reportedly raised serious concerns. According to a lawyer familiar with the autopsy findings, the report suggested that Mwendwa may have been given an overdose of propofol during the procedure. The same source noted that some of the medical documents issued by the hospital appeared questionable, raising suspicions that parts of the records may have been fabricated.
Investigators also established that during the course of treatment, Mwendwa had been administered amlodipine 5mg, hydralazine 25mg, and propofol 20ml.
In response to the incident, another lawyer said Mwendwa’s family and colleagues are preparing to pursue a civil suit for medical negligence against both the attending doctor and the hospital, seeking accountability for what they believe was a preventable death.
The hospital has so far declined to release a detailed medical report, only confirming that Mwendwa died while receiving treatment at the facility. A medical officer from the hospital said the deceased had sought care there and that a full report would be issued “at an appropriate time.”
As investigations into Chris Mwendwa’s death continue, the DCI says it will establish whether medical negligence occurred and determine the appropriate legal action based on its findings.
