Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi has revealed that the government is actively engaging in diplomatic efforts to repatriate more than 1,000 Kenyans currently facing execution or long-term incarceration in foreign countries.
Speaking shortly after officially receiving Stephen Munyakho, a Kenyan recently freed from death row in Saudi Arabia, Mudavadi reaffirmed the state’s commitment to protecting its citizens abroad.
“We have about 1,000 Kenyans facing incarceration in different countries,” Mudavadi said. “Our embassies and missions are working tirelessly through diplomatic channels every day. Sometimes we succeed, sometimes we don’t. But we never stop trying.”
Munyakho, who was reunited with his family earlier this month, expressed deep gratitude to Kenyans and to President William Ruto for their efforts in securing his release.
“Your contributions never went unnoticed. I feel indebted, and I don’t know how I can ever repay you,” said Munyakho, visibly emotional. “Just accept my humble thanks.”
Mudavadi praised the collective spirit of Kenyans who rallied behind Munyakho, noting that the support was based on national unity rather than judgment.
“Nobody asks to find themselves in the situation Steve ended up in,” he said. “But Kenyans stood by him not because of what he did or didn’t do, but because he is Kenyan.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to liaise with governments and legal systems across the globe to secure favourable outcomes for Kenyans in distress abroad, particularly in jurisdictions with harsh legal penalties.
The return of Munyakho has reignited calls for stronger labour protections and legal support mechanisms for Kenyans working overseas, especially in the Gulf region.
