Revealed: Viagra killed Otieno Kajwang

By Nairobian Reporter | 5yrs ago | 5 min read

The late Homa Bay Senator Otieno Kajwang passed away in 2014 and the cause of death attributed to a ‘heart attack’ Due to Kajwang’s political stature, it was decided that the death be couched as ‘heart attack’ to avoid anything shameful

The late Homa Bay Senator Otieno Kajwang died of a cardiac arrest triggered by use of Viagra, The Nairobian can reveal.

He died on November 19, 2014 after developing breathing problems at his Runda home in Nairobi that Tuesday night.

Kajwang, who had also served as Minister for Immigration, was declared dead at Mater Hospital in Nairobi, two hours after complaining of chest pains.

But why was the 55-year old politician driven to far off Mater, bypassing the Aga Khan, and MP Shah Hospitals which are closer to Runda? There is also Avenue Hospital, Nairobi Hospital Warwick Centre and the Githogoro Runda Baptist Clinic which were also nearer than Mater?

Enlarged heart

While Kajwang suffered high blood pressure which had enlarged his heart, the government’s pathology report did not give a conclusive cause of death even though it found that the heart attack was due to the blocking of blood flow to the heart.

The Nairobian has, however, established that Otieno Kajwang’, beloved for his political stage theatrics, sense of humour and contagious laughter, succumbed to a heart attack occasioned by use of Viagra.

Pathology reports on Kajwang reveal that his heart attack was triggered by Sildenafil citrate, which is sold as the brand name, Viagra, the medication used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension.

But due to Kajwang’s political stature, it was decided that the death be couched as heart attack to have him buried in dignity and avoid linking his demise to anything “shameful.”

Part of the team that handled the post-mortem examination intimated that “we all knew what killed him, but we couldn’t just say it, and at the request of several top government officials, we had to change the story and blame something else, not Sildenafil citrate, which is basically Viagra.”

Kajwang’s pathology report reveals that he had “severe coronary artery sclerosis as well as signs of previous myocardial infarctions.”

Tests performed on him “detected and identified sildenafil metabolites in tissue samples, and blood toxicological analysis” and it was thus concluded that “sildenafil was taken some time before his death, and link between sildenafil intake and fatal cardiac failure could be proven.”

Medics explained to The Nairobian that Viagra use increases the risk of heart problems, mostly fatal arrhythmias, in people with cardiovascular diseases, but “poses minimal cardiovascular risks to healthy people but a lot of precautions are needed for men with cardiovascular diseases.”

Pathology reports are handed over to the family of the deceased but after he was admitted at Mater Hospital, Otieno Kajwang’s blood relations had to be told the uncomfortable truth: He had been at a woman’s crib in Nairobi’s South B estate where Viagra was used.

To allay fears of foul play, an autopsy was done at the request of the family and political friends to confirm the uncomfortable truth. The pathologists were then advised not to release the results “until the family and Kajwang’s political friends agreed on what to feed Kenyans,” recalls a source who was a key cog in the drama.

The government pathologist thus revealed that Kajwang’ had four of his ribs broken, a wound to the chest and some kind of paralysis on one side of the heart concluding he died of a heart attack since an analysis showed that he had “a narrow valve, and the heart attack was due to the blocking of blood flow to the heart,” read the report.

Kajwang also suffered “a previous scar in his heart, showing that he had this prior to this new scar formed at the time of his death. His blood vessels and valves had narrowed because of cholesterol.”

The medics noted that his heart was enlarged due to high blood pressure, but the findings were not conclusive and two more toxicology tests would be conducted on his blood, tissues and body fluids to give a conclusive cause of death.

Besides the illogical decision of driving Kajwang’ from Runda to Mater, which is in South B, there were other inconsistencies and conflicting timelines: Faith Vivian Ouma, his second wife, was informed that the Senator’s admission to Mater was at 9pm which contradicted an earlier statement that he was driven by first wife, Rose, from Runda to Mater at about 10pm.

Yet, still, according to the account of a parliamentary staffer, Kajwang’ had been served drinks from 7pm to about 9.30pm. The news bulletin was running when he left the parliamentary bar after swilling “whisky, black label” in the company of three MPs.

If the parliamentary staffer is to be believed, then Kajwang’ was not at Mater by 9pm. It is impractical that he left for his Runda home only to be rushed to Mater over an emergency in less than 30 minutes. Don’t forget the nearer hospitals, including Githogoro Runda Baptist Clinic, which is the closest.

This begs the all-important question, in whose car did Kajwang’ leave Parliament Buildings? If it was by taxi, whose was it and who ordered for it? Where did they drive to from Parliament and just how did Kajwang’ find himself in Mater in South B area? Who drove him there?

Was in a jovial mood

The senator is reported to have spent most of the day in Parliament. Earlier in the day, he accompanied a Senate committee on Transport to assess the progress in the construction of the southern bypass in Kikuyu Town, Kiambu County. He was greeted with jubilant choruses.

The one and a half hour function was held out in the open along the bypass under the hot sun, where the senators, road contractors, residents and KeNHA officials exchanged their thoughts about the construction of the bypass and why an entry road into Kikuyu Town was necessary.

He stood for over one hour with other senators under the hot sun and with a red helmet on his head, a black suit, red stripped tie and white shirt. He was also in his usual jovial mood, beaming.

In the afternoon, Kajwang’ returned to the Senate and contributed to the National Police Service (Amendment) Bill.