The Kenyan government has reported that over 1,000 Kenyan citizens are currently incarcerated abroad for various offenses.
This revelation was made by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who highlighted the case of Margaret Nduta Macharia, a 37-year-old Kenyan woman sentenced to death in Vietnam for drug trafficking.
Her case has drawn significant attention, prompting the Kenyan government to engage with Vietnamese authorities in hopes of securing a mitigation of her sentence.
The offenses leading to these incarcerations range from minor infractions to serious crimes, including drug trafficking.
While the government is working on solutions for specific cases, such as Nduta’s, it emphasizes the importance of Kenyans adhering to the laws of the countries they visit. Mudavadi cautioned that diplomatic interventions cannot always guarantee favorable outcomes, especially in jurisdictions with strict legal systems.
In response to this issue, the Kenyan government is exploring agreements on prisoner exchanges through the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs and the Attorney General’s office.
These efforts aim to provide relief to Kenyans jailed overseas and ensure they are treated humanely and have access to legal and consular services.
The government continues to gather detailed data on the number of Kenyans incarcerated abroad and the nature of their offenses.
While the exact figures and locations of all detainees are not publicly disclosed, the government urges Kenyans to exercise caution and respect the laws of foreign countries to avoid legal troubles.
