The Kenyan government has pledged to exhaust all possible avenues to prevent the execution of Margaret Nduta, a Kenyan national sentenced to death in Vietnam for drug trafficking. However, the intervention has sparked mixed reactions, especially on social media, where opinions on her fate remain sharply divided.
Nduta, a native of Murang’a, gained public attention in July 2023 when she was arrested in Vietnam while allegedly trafficking two kilogrammes of cocaine en route to Laos. She was subsequently charged and sentenced to death.
Principal Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Dr. Korir Sing’oei, confirmed the government’s commitment to securing a reprieve for Nduta.
“Her case is complex and challenging, but we are doing everything possible within our capacity to obtain a favorable outcome for our citizen,” Dr. Sing’oei stated.
He further revealed that Kenya has engaged Vietnam on the matter, with diplomatic discussions initiated between Nairobi and Hanoi. The Kenyan Mission in Bangkok is also actively pursuing the case.
Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka formally petitioned President William Ruto on March 14, 2025, calling for urgent diplomatic intervention. He urged the government to explore clemency and the possibility of Nduta serving a sentence in Kenya instead.
“While respecting Vietnam’s judicial sovereignty, it is essential for Kenya to step in and advocate for her life to be spared, allowing her to serve an appropriate sentence under Kenyan law,” Senator Onyonka remarked.
Legal expert Wahome Thuku weighed in on the case, highlighting the stark contrast between Kenya’s approach to drug-related offences and that of Vietnam.
“We, as Kenyans, are not accustomed to witnessing the full enforcement of laws. The concept of execution for drug-related crimes is foreign to us because, in our system, convicts often end up serving prison terms and later regaining freedom,” Thuku noted.
Vietnam is among a group of 13 countries that impose the death penalty for drug-related offences. In Southeast Asia, trafficking, importing, exporting, or possessing illicit substances can carry capital punishment.
Researchers Johnson and Zimring (2009) suggest that Vietnam’s strict enforcement of the death penalty reflects not just legal policy but broader political and social attitudes. The country intensified its crackdown on drug trafficking after becoming a transnational hub in the Greater Mekong Subregion.
According to legal analysts Kien and Giao (2019), Vietnam’s law aligns with international standards by reserving the death penalty for the “most serious crimes,” including drug offences.
Vietnam has handed down multiple death sentences for drug trafficking in recent years. In January 2024, a Vietnamese court sentenced nine individuals to death for smuggling 105 kilogrammes of methamphetamine and heroin from Laos.
Vietnam maintains some of the world’s harshest drug laws, sentencing individuals to death for trafficking as little as 100 grammes of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, or amphetamines.
Across Asia, opinions on the death penalty continue to evolve. Some countries, including Cambodia, the Philippines, East Timor, and Mongolia, have abolished capital punishment, while others, like Vietnam and Singapore, have revised their policies. Despite this, Asia remains the continent with the highest number of executions, with many death row inmates being drug couriers.
Rick Lines, Executive Director of Harm Reduction International, noted that the use of capital punishment is often a matter of policy choice rather than tradition.
“The biggest shift this year has been in Indonesia, which previously had a low execution rate but has now sentenced 14 people to death for drug-related crimes. This isn’t about a cultural shift—it’s a policy decision,” Lines explained.
Ricky Gunawan, a legal expert providing counsel to individuals facing execution, argued that political rhetoric often fuels harsh drug laws.
“In Indonesia, there is deep-seated hostility toward drugs. Politicians exploit this sentiment to gain public favor,” he said.
As Kenya pursues diplomatic channels to save Nduta, the case continues to stir debate over the balance between legal sovereignty, human rights, and international advocacy in capital punishment cases.
