Stephen Abdukareem Munyakho, a Kenyan man who had spent over 13 years on death row in Saudi Arabia, was finally released and is expected back home following an extensive multi-stakeholder campaign that drew in religious leaders, diplomats, family members, and civil society.
Stephen Abdukareem Munyakho, who had been imprisoned after a fatal workplace altercation in 2011, was originally convicted of manslaughter. However, the verdict was later escalated under Sharia law to murder, placing him at risk of execution by beheading unless a diya (blood money) of approximately KSh 129.5 million was paid.
According to Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Korir Sing’oei, Munyakho’s release was made possible through the intervention of the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) and the Muslim World League, who stepped in to settle the full blood money on humanitarian and religious grounds. Dr. Sing’oei confirmed that upon release, Munyakho immediately performed Umrah, a pilgrimage to Mecca, as a symbolic act of spiritual closure before preparing to return home.
The campaign to save Stephen Abdukareem Munyakho, dubbed “Bring Back Stevo,” had been ongoing for years. His mother, Dorothy Kweyu, a veteran journalist, was instrumental in keeping his case in the public eye and advocating tirelessly for intervention. Initial efforts to raise the KSh 150 million required for his release through public donations fell short, accumulating only about KSh 11 million. It was at this point that Kenya’s Muslim leaders escalated the matter by formally presenting Munyakho’s case to Muslim World League Secretary-General Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa during a high-profile meeting in Nairobi in August 2024.
Following direct diplomatic outreach and lobbying, including by President William Ruto, the Muslim World League agreed to settle the diya payment, bringing the long ordeal to an end. Munyakho’s release comes after multiple execution postponements over the past year and represents a rare triumph in an otherwise grim landscape for foreign workers caught in the Middle East’s harsh judicial systems.
What Is The Context Of Stephen Abdukareem Munyakho’s Plight?
This case, while unique in its outcome, has shed harsh light on the broader plight of Kenyan migrant workers in the Gulf region. Thousands of Kenyans, many of them young women, work in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and other Gulf states, often under exploitative conditions. Numerous investigations, including reports by international human rights organizations, have exposed systemic abuse ranging from passport confiscation and unpaid wages to physical violence and sexual harassment.
The situation is particularly dire for domestic workers, who often live in isolated environments with little access to external support. Between 2019 and 2023, Kenya recorded over 270 deaths of its nationals in Saudi Arabia alone, many of which were declared as “natural causes” despite suspicions of abuse. Online, recruitment agencies have been found advertising domestic workers as commodities, in some cases using terms like “Kenyan maids for sale”, a shocking reminder of the dehumanizing treatment some migrants face.
Further compounding the problem is the Kenyan government’s aggressive push to promote labor migration as a solution to youth unemployment. President Ruto has repeatedly stated his ambition to send hundreds of thousands of Kenyans abroad to work, particularly in Gulf countries. While the economic incentives are clear, diaspora remittances remain one of Kenya’s top foreign exchange earners, this strategy has been criticized as dangerously shortsighted.
Critics argue that Kenya’s focus on labor export lacks the institutional safeguards necessary to protect its citizens abroad. Embassies in key Middle Eastern countries are often under-resourced and ill-equipped to handle emergencies, legal disputes, or serious allegations like those faced by Munyakho. Families of detainees abroad frequently complain about the lack of responsiveness from Kenyan diplomats and the absence of clear legal support mechanisms.
What Does The Case Of Stephen Abdukareem Munyakho Teach Us?
The Stephen Abdukareem Munyakho case illustrates the urgent need for Kenya to establish a comprehensive framework to protect its migrant labor force. Among the proposed reforms is the creation of a dedicated Overseas Workers Protection Unit within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This unit would be tasked with tracking legal cases involving Kenyans abroad, facilitating emergency interventions, and coordinating with recruitment agencies to ensure ethical practices.
In addition, Kenya must move to establish bilateral labor agreements with Gulf states that explicitly outline the rights of Kenyan workers and provide avenues for legal redress. Such treaties could include provisions for repatriation or the option to try certain offenses in Kenyan courts, especially in cases where premeditated intent is in doubt. Countries like the Philippines have successfully used similar arrangements to protect their overseas workers.
On the recruitment front, there is a pressing need for more stringent regulation of private agencies. These agencies must be licensed, held accountable for the treatment of workers they place, and required to offer comprehensive pre-deployment training. This training should include cultural orientation, legal awareness, especially on the implications of Sharia law, and conflict resolution skills.
Another critical proposal is the establishment of a government-managed diaspora welfare fund, financed through a small levy on remittances or employer contributions. This fund could be used to support distressed workers, pay for emergency repatriation, and assist families involved in legal settlements like the one negotiated for Munyakho.
Additionally, Kenya’s embassies in the Gulf should be staffed with full-time legal officers and caseworkers capable of providing 24/7 support to distressed nationals. Emergency hotlines, safe houses for abused workers, and regular embassy-led welfare visits should be institutionalised as part of the country’s Foreign Service mandate.
The Kenyan government must also implement mandatory legal briefings for all citizens leaving for work abroad. This includes not only understanding employment terms but also being aware of how host-country laws treat issues such as physical altercations, accidental harm, or theft, all of which can carry severe penalties under Sharia law.
How Did Stephen Abdukareem Munyakho Family Receive Release News?
The celebration surrounding Stephen Munyakho’s release should not obscure the uncomfortable truths his case brings to light. For every Stevo, there are many others whose stories remain untold, people who lack the visibility, advocacy, or diplomatic intervention that Munyakho was fortunate to receive. The state must now reflect on whether its foreign labor policies place economic gain above human dignity, and whether enough is being done to balance opportunity with protection.
What the Munyakho case ultimately reveals is a policy gap that can no longer be ignored. Kenya cannot continue to export its youth without robust safety nets. It cannot rely solely on religious goodwill or diplomatic luck to rescue citizens caught in foreign legal systems. It must instead build a resilient institutional framework that prioritizes the well-being of Kenyans abroad, beginning with better policy, better law, and better preparedness.
As Munyakho prepares to return to Kenya, his journey stands as both a symbol of resilience and a cautionary tale. His freedom is a hard-won triumph, but it is also a challenge to Kenya’s leaders: Will this moment spark meaningful reform, or will it be remembered as a rare exception in a system that continues to fail its people? Meaningful conversations on expanding the capacity of the economy to accomodate more jobs need to be have.
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