‘ALL WE CAN DO IS PRAY FOR HER’ JALANG’O ON MARGARET NDUTA’S EXECUTION

Lang’ata Member of Parliament, Hon. Phelix Odiwuor, popularly known as Jalang’o, has called for national unity and prayers for Margaret Nduta, a Kenyan woman sentenced to death in Vietnam for drug trafficking. 

In a statement, Jalang’o wrote, “I took my time and went through her charge sheet… All we can do is pray for her! May peace wrap itself around you. May love give you courage. And may you feel, even now, that you are not alone…a nation is united for you!” Jalang’o said.

Nduta was arrested in July 2023 at Ho Chi Minh City Airport in Vietnam for smuggling two kilograms of cocaine into the country. Despite her claims of being unaware of the suitcase’s contents, a Vietnamese court found her guilty of drug trafficking on March 6, 2025, and sentenced her to death under the country’s stringent anti-drug laws.

Vietnam is known for having some of the world’s toughest drug laws, with individuals found guilty of possessing or smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or cocaine or more than 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine facing the death penalty. Nduta’s case has sparked widespread outrage and concern across Kenya, with citizens, activists, and government officials rallying to seek diplomatic intervention to avert her execution.

Since her arrest, Nduta’s family has tirelessly campaigned for her release, appealing to the Kenyan government to intervene and negotiate a lesser sentence, such as a prison term in Kenya. Her mother, in particular, has been vocal, pleading for mercy and highlighting her daughter’s alleged naivety in the situation. According to reports, Nduta had agreed to transport a suitcase to Laos for a man identified only as John, who paid her Sh168,000 and covered her travel expenses.