Kenyan national Stephen Munyakho, also known as Stevo, has received a temporary reprieve from his death sentence in Saudi Arabia after President William Ruto government intervened.
The execution, originally set for May 15, 2024, has now been postponed for a year to November 26, 2025.
Munyakho, the firstborn son of former Nation Media journalist Dorothy Kweyu, was sentenced to death under Sharia law after being found guilty in connection with the death of a Yemeni co-worker in 2011.
His family believes the legal process was unjust.
The postponement was confirmed by Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei, who noted that negotiations involved both the Kenyan and Saudi governments, as well as the widow of the deceased.
This extension allows Munyakho’s family additional time to raise the Sh150 million required for Diyah (blood money).
To date, around Sh11 million has been collected through the “Bring Back Stevo” campaign led by Kweyu.
Sing’oei highlighted the significant role of the Saudi Ambassador to Kenya, Mohamed Ruwange, in facilitating these negotiations and expressed hope that the strong ties between the two nations would aid in resolving the case positively.
Munyakho has spent the past 13 years in Shimeisha Prison in Mecca since moving to Saudi Arabia in his early twenties.
This latest postponement follows a previous delay in May, when authorities agreed to push back the execution date.
However, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi revealed in July that there were no funds allocated in the budget for the blood money necessary for Munyakho’s release.
The family continues to seek public support to raise the remaining funds needed to secure his pardon and bring him back home.
