Catholic activists call for diplomatic intervention for Kenyan on death row in Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court building. / Credit: Duc Huy Nguyen/Shutterstock ACI Africa, Mar 23, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).
The African branch of the global Catholic activist organization CitizenGo is urging the government of Kenya to pursue diplomatic intervention for a Kenyan facing execution in Vietnam.
CitizenGo Africa officials say the life of Margaret Nduta, a young Kenyan woman sentenced to die in Vietnam following a court ruling in July 2023, should be given top priority.
In a March 16 report, CitizenGo officials said: “We urgently petition Hon. Musalia Mudavadi, prime cabinet secretary of the Republic of Kenya, to immediately intervene through diplomatic channels.”
“A simple diplomatic call from Nairobi to Hanoi could significantly alter Margaret’s fate by advocating for her sentence to be commuted and served in Kenya, preventing her execution abroad,” they added.
As of March 19, the execution of Nduta, a 37-year-old Kenyan woman found guilty of drug trafficking, had been postponed, offering a glimmer of hope to her family and supporters.
Nduta was arrested in July 2023 at Ho Chi Minh City Airport while traveling to Laos after authorities reportedly discovered two kilograms of cocaine that was concealed in a false compartment of her suitcase.
Despite her claims of being unaware of the suitcase’s contents, she was convicted on March 6 and initially scheduled for execution by lethal injection on March 17.
The Kenyan government has actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to secure clemency or a stay of execution for Nduta.
Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs Korir Sing’Oei reportedly communicated with Vietnamese officials, expressing the Kenyan people’s concerns and requesting a postponement of the execution to explore alternative resolutions.
Nduta’s family, residing in Kenya’s Murang’a County, has been fervently praying and appealing to President William Samoei Ruto to intensify efforts for her safe return.
Her family maintains that Nduta was unaware of the drugs in her luggage, suggesting she may have been duped by those facilitating her travel. They have expressed profound gratitude for the postponement of her execution.
Diplomatic negotiations are ongoing, with Kenyan officials seeking a resolution that could allow Nduta to serve her sentence in Kenya.
In their March 16 petition, CitizenGo officials said Nduta’s “tragic story highlights the vulnerability of many Kenyans exposing them to exploitation and extreme dangers overseas.”
This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.
