In a last-minute effort to prevent the execution of Kenyan national Margaret Nduta in Vietnam, officials from Kenya's embassy in Bangkok have traveled to Hanoi to negotiate clemency.
Nduta, 37, was arrested in July 2023 at Ho Chi Minh City Airport with over two kilograms of cocaine concealed in her luggage.
On March 6, 2025, she was sentenced to death by lethal injection by the People's Court in Ho Chi Minh City.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary (PS) Korir Sing’Oei has been actively involved in diplomatic efforts to secure a reprieve for Nduta.
On March 16, 2025, PS Sing’Oei held a telephone conversation with Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nguyen Minh Hang, during which he conveyed the anxiety of the Kenyan people regarding the impending execution.
He reiterated Kenya's request for a stay of execution to allow both countries to explore alternative resolutions.
Madam Hang assured him that Kenya's petition was under consideration by Vietnamese authorities.
Kenya's diplomatic mission in Bangkok, which is accredited to Vietnam due to the absence of a Kenyan embassy in Hanoi, has been actively following up on Nduta's case.
The embassy officials' trip to Hanoi shows the urgency with which the Kenyan government is approaching the situation.
The case has also drawn attention from Kenyan legislators. Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka, in a letter dated March 14, 2025, appealed to President William Ruto to intervene and seek clemency for Nduta.
He stressed the need for urgent diplomatic intervention to safeguard her fundamental rights and explore the possibility of repatriation to serve an appropriate sentence under Kenyan law.
Nduta's family has been vocal in their plea for assistance. Her mother, Purity Wangui, expressed a deep desire to see her daughter before the execution is carried out, highlighting the emotional toll the situation has taken on the family.
Vietnam is among several countries that impose the mandatory death sentence for drug-related offenses.
Other nations with similar laws include China, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore.
According to Harm Reduction International (HRI), a global organization monitoring capital punishment for drug crimes, the following statistics were recorded in 2024:
- 34 countries still retain the death penalty for drug-related crimes.
- Over 615 executions were carried out.
- More than 377 people were sentenced to death for drug offenses in 17 countries, including 11 women and 20 foreign nationals.
- Over 2,300 individuals remain on death row for drug-related crimes worldwide.
In 2024, executions for drug offenses were confirmed or believed to have occurred in six countries: China, Iran, North Korea, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam.
HRI also reported that due to limited data from nations like China, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand, the actual number of executions could be significantly higher than documented.
As the clock ticks, the Kenyan government continues to engage with Vietnamese authorities, hoping to secure clemency for Nduta and bring her back home to serve her sentence.
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