Hospital Negligence Alleged in Death of MCA Joel Munuve » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya April 26 – A County Assembly lawyer has alleged medical negligence at AAR Hospital in Kiambu following the death of Kariobangi North MCA Joel Munuve.

Speaking at the County Assembly on Friday, lawyer Biko Ashioya said the hospital failed to detect a longstanding blood clot in Munuve’s leg, which later travelled to his heart, causing his sudden death.

“The clot had been there for a long time. It travelled from his leg to his heart, and the hospital failed to detect it. They should have noticed and acted before it became fatal,” Ashioya said.

Accompanied by County Assembly pathologist Dr. David Atandi, Ashioya confirmed that a post-mortem conducted by both independent and government pathologists found Munuve died from a massive pulmonary embolism — a large clot blocking the lung’s main artery.

“We concluded the cause of death was a large clot in the pulmonary trunk,” Dr. Atandi said. “His external appearance was normal, but internally, his left lung had collapsed and a major blood vessel to the heart was completely blocked.”

Ashioya stressed that Munuve’s death could have been prevented with a thorough diagnosis. “This is something that could have been stopped. The hospital should have seen the magnitude of the issue, but unfortunately, they did not,” he said.

Further examination revealed a significant clot in the back of Munuve’s leg, believed to have developed over time and eventually caused the fatal blockage. His heart was also found to be mildly enlarged.

While foul play was ruled out, the pathologists said the failure to detect the clot amounted to a serious lapse in medical care.

“The County Assembly tasked us with conducting a comprehensive investigation, and the findings are clear. The clot had been present for some time before fatally travelling to his heart,” one of the medical experts said.

Munuve’s sudden death has sent shockwaves through Makueni County, where he was respected for his commitment to public service.

Ashioya has called for a formal investigation to establish whether negligence contributed to the MCA’s death.