Nominated MP Sabina Chege has disclosed new details about the government's efforts to save Margaret Nduta from execution in Vietnam.
Speaking exclusively to TNX, Chege said the government’s priority is to secure legal representation for Nduta to ensure her side of the story is heard.
The nominated MP further revealed plans to push for fresh vetting of agencies recruiting Kenyans for jobs abroad.
“I will raise this matter in Parliament. We must scrutinise all agents promising our youth jobs overseas because some are exploiting them,” she said.
She added, “The Government of Kenya engaged with the Vietnamese authorities, but by the time we learned of the case, a lot had already transpired. Nduta had even appeared in court without a lawyer. Our immediate priority was to halt the execution and secure legal representation for her,” she said.
Chege also dismissed social media claims that Nduta had previously traveled to other countries, calling them false.
“It is unfortunate that some reports suggest she had been arrested elsewhere before. Nduta had never left Kenya until this trip. She had just acquired her first passport. In fact, she did not even travel through JKIA but through Ethiopia,” she clarified.
“Many of our people have been killed, while others—especially young women—have faced sexual harassment after being lured with fake job offers,” she added.
Nduta, 37, was convicted on March 6 by the People's Court in Ho Chi Minh City for smuggling over two kilograms of cocaine. She was arrested in July 2023 while in transit to Laos.
News of her conviction sparked widespread concern, prompting government intervention.
Last week, Foreign Affairs PS Korir Sing’Oei confirmed that a Kenyan delegation from Bangkok had secured travel visas and visited Nduta at Hoi Chi Minh Prison.
The PS stated that Nduta is coping with the situation and has been treated humanely. He urged Kenyans to avoid involvement in drug trafficking, warning that it is a "costly adventure."
