Allegations of medical negligence have emerged following the sudden death of Kariobangi North MCA Joel Munuve, with AAR Hospital in Kiambu coming under scrutiny for its role in his treatment.
During a session at the Nairobi County Assembly on Friday, Assembly lawyer Biko Ashioya claimed that the hospital failed to identify a deep vein thrombosis in Munuve’s leg—a condition that eventually led to a fatal pulmonary embolism.
“The blood clot had been present for some time. It traveled from his leg to his heart, and the hospital failed to detect it. They should have caught this before it turned deadly,” said Ashioya.
County Assembly pathologist Dr. David Atandi supported these claims, citing post-mortem results conducted by both government and independent pathologists. The autopsy revealed that Munuve died from a massive pulmonary embolism—caused by a large clot blocking a main artery in the lungs.
“Externally, he appeared fine. But the autopsy showed complete blockage of a major vessel leading to the heart and failure of the left lung,” said Dr. Atandi.
Ashioya emphasized that timely and thorough medical assessment could have prevented the tragedy. “This was avoidable. The hospital did not properly evaluate or act on the warning signs,” he stated.
The post-mortem also noted a significant clot behind Munuve’s leg, which had likely formed over a prolonged period and ultimately led to the fatal embolism. Additionally, his heart was found to be slightly enlarged.
While investigators ruled out foul play, they concluded that the failure to diagnose the clot represented a serious lapse in medical care. “The evidence is clear—the clot had been there long before it reached the lungs,” one of the pathologists noted.
Munuve’s unexpected death has deeply affected his constituents in Makueni County, where he was respected for his dedication to community service and grassroots development.
Ashioya is now urging for a formal investigation to determine whether medical negligence played a role in the MCA’s untimely death.
