Wetangula Directs Foreign Relations Committee to Address Kenyan Woman’s Death Sentence Case
By Ken Muthomi on Saturday, 15 March 2025 – 4:23 pm
National Assembly
Moses Wetangula, the Speaker of the National Assembly, has instructed the Defence, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations Committee to intervene in the case of a Kenyan woman facing the death penalty in Vietnam.
This directive came after Murang’a County Woman Representative Sabina Chege called for the government to take action on the matter during a Parliament session on Friday, March 14. In response, Wetangula ordered the Committee’s Vice-Chair, Bashir Abdullah, to liaise with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning the case and to present a report to Parliament once it reconvenes.
“Bashir, gather all the statements and contact the Foreign Affairs Ministry, because even during recess, committees remain active. Once you receive a response, communicate with the questioner and bring the report to the House on the first sitting day after recess,” Wetangula stated.
Chege emphasized the urgency of the issue, urging the committee to take swift action and outline the government’s steps to address the case.
She also called for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to reach out to the woman’s family and facilitate her return to Kenya.
“The committee must contact the Ministry immediately, as this involves a death sentence for a Kenyan, and the deadline may have passed. I urge that this be urgently forwarded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs so they can start addressing the matter, especially by contacting the family,” Chege said.
She further suggested that the government should inform Kenyans about how they can contact authorities in such situations.
“The committee should also investigate whether there are any foreign policies in place to ensure that Kenyans traveling abroad, especially through recruitment agencies, understand how they can get in touch with our embassies in case they need assistance,” she added.
The case dates back to Friday, March 7, when reports from Vietnam revealed that the Kenyan woman was sentenced to death after being convicted of trafficking over 2kg of drugs. The woman, identified only as Nduta, was arrested at Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, where the drugs were found hidden in her suitcase.
Authorities in Vietnam disclosed that Nduta had been hired by a man in Kenya to transport the suitcase to Laos in July 2023. The suitcase was intended for delivery to a woman in Laos, after which Nduta was supposed to return with unspecified “goods.” For her role, she was paid $1,300 (approximately Ksh167,895).
During her trial, Nduta claimed she was unaware of the drugs in her suitcase. However, prosecutors dismissed her defense, arguing it was an attempt to avoid accountability, and sentenced her to death for drug trafficking.
In response to Wetangula’s directive, Vice-Chair Bashir Abdullah confirmed that the committee would meet during the first week after Parliament resumes.
“I will gather the statements and forward them to the Ministry, so we can receive a response before Parliament even reconvenes,” he said.
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