The government is intensifying efforts to secure the return of more than 1,000 Kenyans who are currently serving jail terms in various countries, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has said.

Speaking after meeting Stephen Munyakho, a Kenyan who recently arrived home after escaping a death sentence in Saudi Arabia, Mudavadi said the government is pursuing every possible diplomatic channel to bring home Kenyans detained abroad.

“We have about 1,000 Kenyans facing incarceration in different countries, and our embassies and missions continue to work through diplomatic channels every other day to try and get the best outcome. Sometimes we may succeed, sometimes we may not succeed,” he said.

He acknowledged the complexity of the cases, saying each situation presents unique legal and diplomatic hurdles. However, he assured the public that the government remains committed to doing everything within its power to help the affected citizens.

Munyakho, who had spent 14 years on death row, was accused of murder in Saudi Arabia after a violent dispute with a Yemeni colleague in April 2011.

The colleague later died from the injuries sustained during the altercation.

He was initially sentenced to five years for manslaughter, but the ruling was challenged on appeal. The charge was later raised to murder, leading to a death sentence by beheading.

In response, Mudavadi personally intervened by writing to the Saudi Foreign Minister, seeking clemency on Munyakho's behalf.

His case gained further attention when the victim's family agreed to accept diyya, or blood money, as compensation—a provision under Islamic law that allows the family of a victim to pardon the offender in exchange for payment.

With the support of the Muslim World League, the Kenyan government managed to raise Ksh.129 million earlier this year to meet the compensation demands.

Following the successful payment, Munyakho was pardoned and allowed to perform Umrah, the minor pilgrimage, before being moved from Shimeisi Prison in the Mecca Governorate to a deportation centre.

He returned to Kenya on July 29, 2025.

During their meeting, Munyakho expressed deep gratitude to the Kenyan people and President William Ruto for their role in securing his freedom.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry says it will continue engaging foreign governments and using all available diplomatic tools to help other Kenyans who are still behind bars in foreign countries.