A Kenyan, Stephen Munyakho, who was on the execution block in Saudi Arabia, is set to return home after the Muslim World League intervened and paid the necessary fines, United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary-General Hassan Omar has revealed.
Speaking on Tuesday during an Iftar at State House hosted by President William Ruto, Omar announced that following successful negotiations between Saudi Arabia, Kenya, and the Muslim World League, Munyakho would soon be reuniting with his family.
According to Omar, the negotiations, which involved key officials from both countries, resulted in a total of KSh 129.5 million ($1 million) being paid to the Gulf nation as a settlement for the accusations Munyakho was facing.
During the announcement, Omar revealed that diplomatic efforts to save Munyakho were coordinated at State House, Nairobi, hinting at possible involvement by President William Ruto.
"Last year, we brought the Secretary-General of the Muslim World League here to State House. Through SUPKEM and the President, we made a passionate request regarding the case of the Kenyan who was facing execution in Saudi Arabia."
According to the ruling party's Secretary-General, Khalid Al Salman, the Saudi Ambassador to Kenya and his Kenyan counterpart, Mohamed Ramadhan Ruwange, confirmed the successful outcome of the negotiations.
Meanwhile, Omar issued a warning to Kenyans living abroad, urging them to obey the laws of their host nations, emphasising that the government would not always be able to intervene.
"Both our ambassadors have confirmed that the request has since been honoured, the one million dollars has been paid, and the Kenyan will return home safely," Omar assured.
"To warn Kenyans—wherever you are, respect the laws of the territories you live in, be it in Vietnam, Malaysia, or South Africa. The government can intervene, but it has its limitations."
Munyakho, who changed his name to Abdulkareem, was scheduled for execution on Wednesday, May 15, after being found guilty of killing a Yemeni national in Saudi Arabia. However, his execution was postponed by a year following Kenya’s diplomatic intervention to secure his release.
His case gained national attention after his mother, veteran journalist Dorothy Kweyu, pleaded with the Kenyan government to intervene and save her son from execution.
Munyakho has been imprisoned since 2012 and was required to raise Ksh150 million as compensation to the family of the Yemeni national or face execution.
His reprieve comes amid another high-profile case involving Kenyan national Margaret Nduta, who is facing execution in Vietnam for narcotics trafficking.
