Saudi Arabia Postpones Kenyan Stephen Munyakho's Execution Again; Here's Why

Munyakho was originally scheduled for execution on May 15, 2024, but the authorities extended the deadline to July 26, 2024, and then further postponed it by four months to November 26, 2024.

Saudi Arabia Postpones Kenyan Stephen Munyakho's Execution Again; Here's Why
Veteran journalist Dorothy Kweyu (left) and her son Stephen Bertrand Munyakho. /BRINGBACKSTEVO

The Kenyan government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has confirmed that the execution of Stephen Munyakho, a Kenyan in Saudi Arabia, has been postponed for another year.

This has been announced by Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary (PS) Korir Sing'oei in a statement on X on Thursday, October 24.

Munyakho was originally scheduled for execution on May 15, 2024, but the authorities extended the deadline to July 26, 2024, and then further postponed it by four months to November 26, 2024.

For this case, PS Korir revealed that the postponement will allow for outstanding obligations to be settled between parties.

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'oei. /FILE

"I am pleased to inform you that after strenuous negotiations between our Mission in Riyadh, Saudi Authorities and the Widow, the impending execution of judgment against Stephen Munyakho (Abdulkareem) due on November 26, 2024, has been postponed for another year to allow parties to settle outstanding obligations," the PS announced.

"We shall continue relying on our two countries' cordial relations towards concluding the matter. The goodwill of all Kenyans,  partners, and stakeholders is equally appreciated. I commend Ambassador Ruwange for his leadership on this important matter."

Munyakho is the son of veteran journalist Dorothy Kweyu, who had begged the Kenyan government to intervene and save him from the hangman's noose.

"The execution is too terrible to contemplate. Therefore, we appeal to you all to help us raise this amount," she earlier stated asking 1 million Kenyans to donate Ksh150 each.

He is accused of causing the death of a Yemeni national who was his workmate after a fight between the two and has been in prison since 2011.

After the court hearing, the victim's family called for the Kenyan's execution. However, after years of appealing the case, the family finally opted for the alternative solution which is paying the blood money amounting to Ksh150 million. 

Sing'oei, while speaking in an interview with Citizen TV's Jeff Koinange back in May, said that his ministry through the Saudian envoy to Kenya Mohammed Ramadhan Ruwange was engaging his counterparts to negotiate for an eventual extension to the May 15 deadline.

“The circumstances that this gentleman is in are dire. When this case was brought to our attention, we instructed our Ambassador in Saudi Arabia Mohammed Luwaje to re-engage because we believe the door is not quite shut yet...even though it is a great thing for Kenyans to rally together to try and raise the Ksh150 million we think there are diplomatic pathways we can try to resolve this issues,” he said.

“Based on the engagements of our Ambassador in Saudi today, we strongly believe that that deadline might be extended particularly when we demonstrate to the court that efforts have been rolled out to try and mobilize some resources to be able to meet this family mid-way.”

Despite reiterating the grave nature of the crime allegedly committed by Munyakho, the PS pointed out that the judgement by the Saudian government was ‘egregious’ in nature which ultimately gave the accused no chance of raising the required amount.

An image of Saudi Arabia's capital city, Riyadh, at night. /FILE