Written by Kelly Were
The family of Stephen Munyakho, now known as Abdulkareem, is filled with joy after his narrow escape from execution in Saudi Arabia.
After spending 14 years in a maximum-security prison, his release has been described by his mother, Dorothy Kweyu, as a miracle and a dream come true.
In an emotional interview Kweyu, speaking from her home in Machakos County, shared how difficult it was for the family to accept the reality of her son’s long detention.
She expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support they’ve received, though she admitted to being too overwhelmed to respond to the numerous messages and calls.
Kweyu, a devout Christian, said she fully accepted her son’s conversion to Islam, which led him to adopt the name Abdulkareem. Despite this unexpected change, her love and support for him have remained unwavering.
She emphasized that the incident that led to her son’s imprisonment, which involved a fatal fight in 2011, was an unfortunate accident, not a violent act by her son.
The family is also deeply concerned about the death of Munyakho’s Yemeni colleague in the altercation, and Kweyu has been requesting a visa to meet the family of the deceased to offer her condolences. She hopes to reconcile despite years of silence from them.
The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) confirmed that Abdulkareem will soon be released after the World Muslim League helped pay the remaining blood money required.
As his travel documents are processed, the family eagerly awaits their long-awaited reunion, as they last saw Munyakho more than 20 years ago.
