Nduta was convicted on March 6, 2025, by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court after being found guilty of smuggling over two kilograms of cocaine through Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport.
She was arrested in July 2023 while transiting to Laos. Nduta claimed she was unaware of the drugs in her suitcase, stating that a Kenyan man had hired her to deliver the luggage. However, prosecutors dismissed her defense and held her accountable for the narcotics found.
Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs Korir Sing'Oei said on Sunday, March 16, 2025, that he had engaged Vietnamese authorities in an effort to secure a reprieve for Nduta, following pleas from Kenyans on social media urging the government to intervene.
In a statement shared on X, Sing'Oei confirmed his conversation with Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nguyen Minh Hang, where he conveyed Kenya's deep concern over the impending execution.
He assured that Vietnam was considering the government's petition to stay the execution and allow both countries to explore an alternative path to resolving the matter.
'I conveyed to Madam Hang the anxiety of the Kenyan people on the impending execution of our national and reiterated our request for a stay of execution to allow our two countries to find a path to resolving 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,' Sing'Oei stated.
The case had sparked widespread concern in Kenya, with Senator Richard Onyonka petitioning President William Ruto to intervene. Onyonka urged the government to explore diplomatic channels to negotiate possible clemency or a repatriation arrangement.
'This distressing development calls for urgent diplomatic intervention to safeguard her fundamental rights and explore the possibility of clemency and repatriation. While acknowledging the sovereignty of the Vietnamese judicial system, it is imperative that the Government of Kenya intervenes to ensure that Ms. Macharia's life is preserved and she is given an appropriate sentence in her home country under Kenyan law,' Onyonka said.
Sing'Oei acknowledged Onyonka's petition and reiterated that the government was making all possible efforts to prevent the execution, while admitting that the case was "complex and difficult".
'Nduta's case is complex and difficult, but we are doing everything within our disposal to secure a reprieve for our national,' he said.
Nduta's execution is scheduled for Monday, March 17, at 8:30 p.m. local time, with her final meal set for an hour earlier.
Kenya doesn't have a diplomatic mission in Vietnam and is relying on its embassy in Thailand for consular support.
Vietnam enforces some of the world's strictest drug laws, including the death penalty for those convicted of smuggling or possessing over 600 grams of heroin or cocaine. It remains to be seen whether Kenya's efforts will bear fruit.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
