Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Ministry says Margaret Nduta Macharia's case, which has seen her sentenced to death in Vietnam for drug trafficking, is “complex and difficult” even as her family and several Kenyans call for a diplomatic intervention ahead of her execution on Monday.
Ms Macharia, 37, was convicted by the people's court in Ho Chi Minh City on March 6 after being found guilty of smuggling over two kilograms of cocaine.
Her family and a section of Kenyan legislators have urged Nairobi to negotiate a deal with Hanoi, which would see Nduta repatriated, even if to serve a sentence locally.Kenya has officially appealed to the Vietnamese government to halt the impending execution of Margaret Nduta, a Kenyan national facing capital punishment in the Southeast Asian country.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei revealed in a statement on his X page that he held a telephone conversation with Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Nguyen Minh Hang, on Sunday regarding the matter.
During the conversation, Sing’oei conveyed the anxiety of the Kenyan people over Nduta’s fate and reiterated Kenya’s formal request for a stay of execution.He emphasized the need for both nations to explore a diplomatic resolution to the issue.
“I am grateful for Madam Hang’s assurance that our petition is under consideration by her country’s authorities. In the meantime, our mission in Bangkok is actively following up the case in situ,” Sing’oei stated.
Vietnam is known for its strict drug-related laws, and it remains unclear whether Kenyan diplomatic efforts will influence the final decision.
