Karanja Kabage died out of cardiac arrest, autopsy says

Nakuru businessman and Lawyer Karanja Kabage, he is contesting for Nakuru senatorial seat. [Courtesy]

Lawyer and businessman Karanja Kabage died of cardiac arrest, a postmortem has shown.

The autopsy was conducted in the presence of police and family representatives at the Lee Funeral Home on Saturday.

Kabage died on Friday along Southern by-pass near Kibera, Nairobi as he drove towards Karen direction at about 10pm.

Witnesses told police that Kabage’s vehicle veered off the road. Although his vehicle was slightly damaged, Kabage was still conscious.

According to the Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai, Kabage asked a taxi driver who stopped at the scene to take him to the Nairobi hospital, where he arrived unconscious.

Efforts by doctors to resuscitate him proved futile as he was later pronounced dead.

Yesterday, a family spokesman said they were satisfied with the results of the autopsy. Senior Police officers later said the issue was now “almost settled” following the results of the autopsy.

Kabage will be buried on Friday at his Mangu Rongai home in Nakuru County.

Police had earlier announced he suffered a heart attack after collecting samples of vomit from his car at the scene.

Kabage is said to have spent a large part of Friday at the first annual Mount Kenya High Level Uongozi Forum at Safari Park where he was a panelist.

Kabage was also among leaders who attended Bob Collymore’s memorial service at All Saints Cathedral on Thursday.

Before his death, Karanja served in various capacities in the business sector.

He was a board member of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance, National Social Security Fund, Labour Advisory Board and Energy Regulatory Authority Commission among others.

He also served as a director at African Reinsurance Corporation and First Reinsurance Brokers Limited.

In 2017, he joined the race for the Nakuru Senate seat.