Stephen Munyakho, a Kenyan who had been on death row in Saudi Arabia, is expected to land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) tonight at 11:00PM.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi announced Monday that Munyakho will arrive from Jeddah, marking the end of a 13-year ordeal that began in April 2011, when he was involved in a fatal altercation with a Yemeni colleague while working as a warehouse manager.
The colleague later succumbed to his injuries, leading to Munyakho’s conviction for manslaughter in 2012 and a death sentence issued in 2023.
His execution, initially scheduled for May last year, was deferred following sustained diplomatic efforts between Kenya and Saudi Arabia.
“PCS thanked H.E. President William Ruto, who intervened by speaking directly with Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, ruler of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, requesting a delay in the execution as Kenya pursued the matter diplomatically,” a statement from the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary (OPCS) reads.
The intervention opened the door for negotiations with the victim’s family, who later accepted Ksh129 million in blood money paid by the Muslim World League, paving the way for Munyakho’s release and pardon from execution.
His family, led by his mother Dorothy Kweyu, also rallied national support for his freedom by mobilising funds under the #LetsBringBackStevo campaign.
Munyakho has since converted to Islam and is now known as Abdulkareem, having performed the Umrah (minor pilgrimage) following his release.
Mudavadi thanked all parties involved, including the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM), the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, the “Bring Back Stevo” strategy committee, and the Ministry’s diplomatic team led by PS Korir Sing’oei.
He commended Saudi authorities for their cooperation, noting that the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs remains committed to safeguarding the rights and welfare of Kenyans abroad.
