Kenyan national, Margaret Nduta Macharia is facing imminent execution in Vietnam after being sentenced to death for drug trafficking. With her appeal window closed, she is set to be executed by lethal injection, sparking urgent diplomatic efforts from Kenyan officials and public outcry.
Senator Richard Onyonka has taken the lead in calling for Macharia’s repatriation, urging President William Ruto to intervene.
The senator insists that the Kenyan government should negotiate with Vietnamese authorities for her extradition and trial under Kenyan law.
He emphasized that, as a Kenyan citizen, Macharia deserves due process in her home country rather than the severe penalties imposed by Vietnam’s legal system.
Public opinion in Kenya remains divided. While some argue that Macharia should face the consequences of breaking Vietnamese laws, others insist that she should be brought back to Kenya, where the death penalty is rarely enforced. The case has also ignited a social media campaign under the hashtag #FreeNduta, with Kenyans demanding government intervention to save her life.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has also joined the plea, making a passionate appeal through social media. In an Instagram video, Owino stated: “I want to take this opportunity to ask and request President William Ruto to assist this lady, Margaret Nduta, who is supposed to be hanged in Vietnam. This lady committed no crime; she was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Similarly, Gatundu North MP Njoroge Kururia expressed his sympathies, saying: “My prayers and sympathies go to the family of Margaret Nduta. I can only commit her to God’s mercies.”
With time running out, Kenyan officials are under pressure to exhaust all diplomatic options before it is too late.
