As every day goes by for veteran journalist Dorothy Kweyu, her appeal to save her son from execution in Saudi Arabia still seems doubtful despite the government's intervention.
Speaking to BBC, Kweyu clarified that the stay of execution announced by Foreign Affairs Sing'oei Korir was only temporary. She, however, noted that the government had not provided her with further details about the case.
Her son, 50-year-old Stephen Munyakho was set to be executed on Wednesday, May 15, on accusations of murder but a post by Korir on Monday revealed that negotiations were in place to bring the matter to a conclusion.
Kweyu is required to raise Ksh143 million (diyah or blood money) for the release of her son from Saudi Arabia to act as a pardon under Sharia law.
Islamic law provides for a price to stand in for capital punishment such as murder or manslaughter. In the past, those convicted of murder would provide 100 camels as payment. These days, the form of trade has been converted to cash.
She was, however, worried that the temporary stay would be shortlived as her public appeal has only raised less than five per cent (an average of Ksh50,000).
Phone Call
Additionally, she revealed receiving a phone call from her son who informed her that one of his friends had been beheaded inside the prison, placing Kweyu into a deeper state of worry.
"He called me and told me that one of his friends had been beheaded. That was such a dark moment," she pointed out.
Further, Kweyu revealed that the family recently learnt that Munyakho had changed his name to "Abdulkareem."
She also noted that the children have been the most affected in the entire scenario.
"There are times I am hopeful that my dad will come home," 23-year-old Evans Mwanze, Munyakho's youngest child stated.
"Other times I get discouraged and wonder if the worst may happen. I never got to know my father. He left when I was three and that was the last I saw of him."
