As of March 18, 2025, the fate of Margaret Nduta, a 37-year-old Kenyan woman sentenced to death in Vietnam for drug trafficking, remains shrouded in uncertainty. Margaret Nduta was arrested in July 2023 at Ho Chi Minh City Airport with over two kilograms of cocaine, was convicted on March 6, 2025, and initially scheduled for execution on March 16 or 17. However, intense diplomatic efforts by the Kenyan government have cast doubt on whether the sentence has been carried out.
The Kenyan government, led by Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei, has been racing against time to secure a stay of execution. On March 16, Sing’oei held a phone conversation with Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nguyen Minh Hang, conveying the deep concern of Kenyans and formally requesting a delay to explore a resolution. Vietnam reportedly assured Kenya that the plea was under consideration, but no official confirmation has emerged from either side regarding Nduta’s current status. Kenya’s diplomatic mission in Bangkok has also been dispatched to Hanoi to press the matter further.
Nduta’s case has sparked outrage and anxiety in Kenya, with her family and supporters arguing she was unwittingly exploited by a trafficking ring. Her mother, Purity Wangare, has publicly pleaded for clemency, insisting Nduta was unaware of the suitcase’s contents when she agreed to transport it for a man identified only as “John” in exchange for payment. Despite these claims, Vietnam’s stringent drug laws—among the harshest globally—offer little leniency, and ignorance is rarely accepted as a defense.
Public sentiment in Kenya has fueled calls for repatriation or a commuted sentence, with legislators and citizens urging President William Ruto to intervene. Meanwhile, Vietnam’s government has remained largely silent, consistent with its opaque handling of capital punishment cases. The lack of an official update since the scheduled execution date has left Nduta’s family and the Kenyan public in limbo, awaiting word on whether diplomacy will prevail or if her life has already been taken. As the clock ticks, the standoff underscores the delicate balance between national sovereignty and international humanitarian pleas.
Also Read: Efforts by the Kenyan Government to Save Margaret Nduta Macharia from Execution in Vietnam
Kenya Dispatches Officials to Vietnam in Bid to Save Margaret Nduta
Kenya has sent officials to Vietnam in relation to Margaret Nduta’s case. As of March 18, 2025, a team from Kenya’s embassy in Bangkok has been dispatched to Hanoi to address the situation. This follows diplomatic efforts by the Kenyan government, including a request for a stay of execution made by Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei during a conversation with Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nguyen Minh Hang, on March 16, 2025. These actions reflect Kenya’s ongoing attempts to intervene in Nduta’s scheduled execution for drug trafficking, though no official confirmation of the outcome has been widely reported as of this date.
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