Emotional scenes unfolded at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Monday evening as Stephen Munyakho, a Kenyan man who spent 14 years behind bars in Saudi Arabia, returned home to a hero’s welcome. Greeted by jubilant family members, friends, and government officials, Munyakho’s arrival marked the end of a harrowing chapter that had seen him languish on death row in a foreign country for over a decade.
Now going by the name Abdulkareem, Munyakho touched down in Nairobi shortly before midnight aboard a flight from Jeddah. His homecoming was met with ululations, prayers, and tears of joy, as relatives expressed gratitude for what they described as a miraculous return.
Munyakho’s ordeal began in April 2011 while he was working as a warehouse manager in Saudi Arabia. He was involved in a violent altercation with a Yemeni colleague, who later succumbed to injuries sustained during the incident. Initially sentenced to five years in prison for manslaughter, Munyakho’s conviction was later appealed and escalated to a murder charge, a ruling that led to a death sentence by beheading under Saudi Arabia’s strict judicial system.
The execution was, however, stayed after the victim’s family agreed to accept diyya (blood money), an option allowed under Islamic law which permits the victim’s kin to pardon the offender in exchange for financial compensation.
After years of uncertainty and diplomatic lobbying, Munyakho’s fate took a turn when Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi personally intervened in the matter. In a formal appeal to the Saudi Foreign Minister, Mudavadi sought clemency for the Kenyan national. His efforts were complemented by support from the Muslim World League and the Kenyan government, which collectively raised Ksh129 million to meet the agreed compensation.
The breakthrough came on July 22, 2025, when Saudi authorities finalized all judicial processes, officially granting Munyakho his freedom. He later performed Umrah, the minor Islamic pilgrimage, before being transferred from Shimeisi Prison in the Mecca Governorate to a deportation centre, where he awaited clearance for repatriation.
In a statement released by the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, the government expressed satisfaction with the outcome, citing the case as a testament to the value of diplomacy, faith, and persistence.
Munyakho’s family, who endured 14 long years of anguish and uncertainty, described his return as a divine intervention. “It’s nothing short of a miracle,” said one of his relatives at JKIA. “We never lost hope, and now we finally have him back.”
The case had drawn widespread attention in Kenya, with many following every twist and turn of Munyakho’s legal battle abroad. His release and return have been hailed as a significant diplomatic and humanitarian achievement.
Munyakho is now expected to reunite with extended family and begin the long journey of reintegration and healing after more than a decade of incarceration.
Written By Rodney Mbua
