Amnesty International Kenya is urgently calling on the Kenyan government to take decisive diplomatic action to save the life of Margaret Nduta Macharia, a 37-year-old Kenyan woman who is currently on death row in Vietnam following a drug trafficking conviction.
Nduta was arrested in July 2023 at Ho Chi Minh City Airport with two kilograms of cocaine allegedly hidden in a false compartment of her suitcase.
She had been en route to Laos, after a journey that began in Murang’a County, Kenya, that took her through Ethiopia and Vietnam, reportedly in pursuit of a promised domestic worker job.
According to Amnesty Kenya, Nduta fell victim to a deceptive recruitment scheme. She was allegedly handed the suitcase by a travel agent who had offered to replace her own bag and arrange her flight.

Despite claiming no knowledge of the drugs, she was convicted without legal representation and sentenced to death earlier this year.
Her execution by lethal injection was scheduled for March 17, 2025, but was temporarily stayed following public outcry and a last-minute intervention by the Kenyan Embassy in Thailand.
“We held our breath for Margaret on Monday morning,” Amnesty Kenya said in a public statement. “Her cruel death will not stop the drug trade. She is not a mastermind—she is a victim.”
Amnesty: “Executing Nduta Will Not Stop Drug Trafficking”
Amnesty Kenya is urging the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and President William Ruto to intensify efforts to save Nduta’s life, stressing that her execution would do nothing to curb the global drug trade.
“The death penalty is a cruel and inhumane punishment,” Amnesty stated. “It targets the vulnerable, not the traffickers who profit most from these crimes.”
Nduta’s case has sparked a nationwide debate in Kenya, with many voicing concerns about the dangers of drug trafficking, while others have rallied around calls for clemency and reform.
Amnesty Kenya praised the rare unity among Kenyan citizens, opposition lawmakers, and human rights organizations, all advocating for mercy in Nduta’s case.
“A simple diplomatic call from Nairobi to Hanoi could significantly alter Margaret’s fate,” the group said.
Legal and Diplomatic Concerns
Under Vietnamese law, carrying over 100 grams of narcotics is punishable by death. Nduta was found with 20 times that amount, and without access to legal counsel during her trial, according to Amnesty.
Vietnam has some of the most punitive anti-drug laws in the world. While it retains the death penalty for 22 serious crimes, including drug trafficking, the number of executions is a state secret, with estimates suggesting over 1,200 people are currently on death row.
In contrast, Kenyan law now allows for alternative sentences even in death-eligible cases, which Amnesty Kenya argues should open the door for Nduta’s sentence to be commuted and served in Kenya.
A Call for Broader Action
Amnesty Kenya warns that executing women like Nduta does not dismantle global trafficking networks. Instead, they argue, efforts must focus on:
- Public education campaigns to prevent exploitation
- Strengthening customs controls
- Pursuing the masterminds of drug trafficking rings
“We must stop traffickers from preying on economically vulnerable men and women,” Amnesty said. “Margaret Nduta is the face of many exploited individuals, not a criminal kingpin.”
Final Plea
With diplomatic negotiations ongoing, Margaret Nduta’s fate hangs in the balance. Her family in Murang’a continues to pray and plead for her return, while human rights defenders push for a resolution that affirms her humanity and the right to life.
Amnesty Kenya concludes:
“Margaret deserves a second chance—not a death sentence.”