Stephen Munyakho, a Kenyan facing imminent execution in Saudi Arabia, has issued a heartfelt plea for assistance as he faces a grave situation.
Munyakho, who was born Stephen Bertrand Munyakho on March 5, 1974, in Pumwani, Nairobi, shared his distressing story during a press briefing on July 24, 2024.
As the eldest of nine siblings, Munyakho left Kenya at the age of 22 in 1996 after completing his studies at Nyang’ori Boys High School. Although he initially aimed to pursue further education in the US, he found employment in Saudi Arabia and decided to stay. However, his life took a tragic turn in 2011.
While working as a warehouse manager, Munyakho became involved in a physical altercation with a Yemeni colleague, Abdulhalim Mujahid Makrad Saleh. The altercation led to Saleh’s death, and Munyakho sustained injuries. Munyakho was sentenced to five years in prison for manslaughter. He had hoped to start anew by his 40th birthday, but the case took a different trajectory.
After the Yemeni colleague’s family appealed, a Sharia court imposed the death penalty. The execution was postponed until the youngest child of Saleh reached 18, as required by Sharia law.
Munyakho explained, “The matter went to trial, and I was sentenced to five years in jail for manslaughter. This means I could have been out of jail by the time I was hitting 40. Life, some say, begins at 40 — and I was ready to begin mine on a new slate. That was not to be. Abdul’s family lodged an appeal before a Sharia court, and the verdict was that I have to die by execution, Sharia fashion. That is the reason I am currently at Shimeisi Prison in the Makkah region.”
He continued, “I would have been executed a long time ago, but Abdulhalim’s youngest child was only five years old when he died. He had to reach 18 to give consent for my execution. During that period, the family softened its stance and said I could pay ‘blood money’ to be released.”
Kes.150 Million Blood Money
The family demanded Kes.150 million as “blood money” for Munyakho’s release. Despite ongoing negotiations and the family’s softened stance, Munyakho’s modestly resourced family cannot afford this amount.
Consequently, a campaign named “Let’s Bring Back Stevo” has been launched to raise the necessary funds to prevent Munyakho’s execution, scheduled for November 26, 2024.
The “Bring Back Stevo” campaign has raised Kes.11 million so far, thanks to donations from Kenyans. Munyakho expressed his gratitude, saying, “Since this matter was first brought to the attention of Kenyans, there has been overwhelming assistance. The donations have been streaming in from far and wide. A Sh1,000 here, a Sh200 there. An enquiry here, a passionate plea there. They give me hope.”
Campaign chairman Joseph Odindo highlighted the support from prominent figures such as Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Kenya’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Mohamed Ramadhan Ruwange. Odindo urged Kenyans to continue their generous contributions and emphasized that if 100,000 people donate Kes.1,000 each, the campaign would be significantly closer to reaching its goal.
Odindo’s message resonated with Munyakho, who echoed his sentiments: “Odindo’s words rang large: ‘The journey of 1,000 miles starts with one step, and we have faith and we have confidence that Kenyans who have always shown an extraordinary spirit in the past when things were difficult.'”
Munyakho endorsed Odindo’s call for action, emphasizing the campaign’s target: “If 100,000 Kenyans send Sh1,000 each, we will be much, much closer to the target.”
Donations can be made through the M-Pesa PayBill number 8056675, with the account name “Let’s Bring Back Stevo,” or directly to Dorothy Musopole at 0702878717.
Munyakho remains hopeful that the continued support will help prevent his execution and secure his release.
“I thank you all,” he concluded.
