Joseph Nkaissery death: The timeline

Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery (third from left) during a prayer event at Uhuru Park on July 7, 2017. PHOTO | COURTESY

By  Stella Cherono

Regional Editor, South Rift

Nation Media Group

As the country mourns the sudden death of Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery, the Nation has traced some of his last moments.

Here is the timeline:

  • Friday 8.30am: CS Nkaissery goes to the Kasarani Gymnasium, Nairobi, the venue of the IAAF World Under-18 Championships from Wednesday.

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Here, he whipped section heads into action and issued ultimatums for job completion all over the place.

  • Friday 1pm: Nkaissery attends the National Prayer Rally at the Uhuru Park, together with President Uhuru Kenyatta, Third Way Alliance Presidential Candidates Ekuru Aukot and Michael Wainaina, an independent candidate.

  • Friday 3.20pm: The CS leaves Uhuru Park after the end of the prayer rally and heads to his office at Harambee House, Nairobi.

Here, he holds a security meeting and works for some hours before leaving.

  • Friday 8.30pm: President Kenyatta holds a talk with the CS over peace and security during the election period.

According to Mr Kenyatta, they also discussed the IAAF championships slated for Wednesday. The call ended at 9.30pm, according to the president.

  • Friday 10pm: Nkaissery arrives at his Hardy home in Karen, Nairobi, and heads to his private gym before retiring to bed.

  • Saturday 1am: The CS wakes up and complains of a sharp chest pain before collapsing in his house.

His driver and family members rush him to the Karen Hospital which is just a few Kilometres from his house.

  • Saturday 1.45am: Doctors at the Karen Hospital declare Rtd Maj General Nkaissery dead and notify his family.

The cause of death was still not clear by the time of publishing this article.

  • Saturday 3.45am: Chief of Staff and Head of the Public Service Joseph Kinyua shares a statement confirming the death of the Cabinet Secretary.

In the statement, Mr Kinyua says the CS died at Karen Hospital in Nairobi a few hours after being admitted for a check-up. He does not divulge the cause of the minister’s death.

  • Saturday 5am: The body of the CS is taken to the Lee Funeral Home for preservation.

Many leaders and family members later arrive to view his body on Saturday morning.

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