A County Assembly lawyer has raised concerns over possible medical negligence following the death of Kariobangi North MCA Joel Munuve.
Speaking at the County Assembly on Friday, lawyer Biko Ashioya said that the hospital failed to detect a longstanding blood clot in Munuve’s leg, which later traveled to his heart, leading to his sudden death.
“The clot had been there for a long time. It traveled from his leg to his heart, and the hospital failed to detect it. They should have noticed it and acted before it became fatal,” Ashioya said.
Accompanied by County Assembly pathologist Dr. David Atandi, Ashioya confirmed that a post-mortem conducted by independent and government pathologists found that Munuve died from a massive pulmonary embolism — a large blood clot blocking the main artery of the lung.
“We concluded that the cause of death was a large clot in the pulmonary trunk,” Dr. Atandi said. “His external physique appeared normal, but upon opening the body, we discovered his left lung had become non-functional and a major blood vessel to the heart was completely blocked.”
Ashioya stressed that Munuve’s death could have been prevented had the hospital conducted a thorough diagnosis. “This is something that could have been stopped. The hospital he visited 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, which the pathologists believed developed over time and eventually caused the fatal blockage. They also found that his heart was mildly enlarged.
While the pathologists ruled out foul play, they emphasized that 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 it fatally traveled to his heart,” one of the medical experts said.
Munuve’s sudden death has sent shockwaves through Makueni County, where he was widely respected for his dedication to public service and community development.
Ashioya has called for a formal investigation to determine if negligence played a role in the MCA’s death.
