Kenyan Officials Reveal Margaret Nduta's Condition After Visit To Vietnam
Korir in a statement revealed that the diplomats based in Thailand managed to secure travel clearance and made it to the Hoi Chi Minh Prison, where Nduta is being held over drug trafficking.
Marvin Chege 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei on Friday, March 21 confirmed that a team of diplomats from Kenya managed to gain access to Margaret Nduta, who is currently being held in a prison in Vietnam.
Korir in a statement revealed that the diplomats based in Thailand managed to secure travel clearance and made it to the Hoi Chi Minh Prison, where Nduta is being held over drug trafficking.
Nduta was sentenced to death by a Vietnamese court after being convicted of trafficking more than two kilograms of cocaine, with her execution scheduled for Monday, March 18.
However, per PS Sing'oei's statement, the execution is yet to take place, with Nduta revealed to be coping well despite being in deep distress.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'Oei. /FILE
"Pleased to update that our team from Bangkok finally secured travel visas and made it to Hoi Chin Mihn Prison in Vietnam where Margaret Nduta is presently held. We can confirm that while deeply distressed, Margaret is coping and has been treated humanely," he stated on X.
Sing'oei also disclosed that Nduta, who was sentenced without legal representation during her trial, has submitted an appeal that is set to be reviewed soon. He emphasized that diplomatic efforts are ongoing to seek a resolution to Nduta's challenging case.
"Though Margaret was not represented by counsel during the trial, an Appeal filed a few days ago will be heard soon. In the meantime, we continue to engage our Vietnamese counterparts on other options towards resolving this difficult matter," he added.
Warning that "Kenyans are strongly advised not to get tempted or lured into any form of drug or human trafficking. It is an extremely dangerous and costly misadventure."
Kenya's envoys in Thailand are working to negotiate a postponement of Nduta’s execution to facilitate further discussions between the Kenyan and Vietnamese governments.
This development follows Sing'Oei’s remarks that the government's intervention to save Nduta might be unsuccessful, though efforts are still underway. He noted that Vietnam's territorial jurisdiction posed a challenge to Kenya's involvement, as the crime was committed, prosecuted, and adjudicated within the country’s legal system.
"Nduta’s case is complex and difficult, but we are doing everything within our disposal to secure a reprieve for our national," Sing'oei said.
Nduta was caught with two kilograms of drugs at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, with court proceedings revealing that she had been recruited by another Kenyan to deliver a suitcase to Laos, an Asian country. As per the indictment, she was instructed to hand over the suitcase to a woman in Laos and return with unspecified 'goods.'
Nduta was reportedly paid $1,300 (approximately Ksh168,000) for the job, with all her travel expenses, including airfare, fully covered. In her defence, she claimed she was unaware that the suitcase contained drugs when she received it.
However, prosecutors dismissed her claim as an attempt to avoid accountability, insisting that she was responsible for the illegal substances she transported. Her case has sparked widespread concern among Kenyans as the government intensifies efforts to secure her freedom.
