Margaret Nduta Macharia has been making headlines over the past few days in Kenya as her fate hangs in the balance. Nduta, 37, was recently sentenced to death in Vietnam. Prior to the verdict, the Kenyan lady was arrested in July 2023 at the Ho Chi Minh City Airport for allegedly sneaking drugs into Vietnam.
Known for its zero-tolerance drug laws, Vietnamese authorities argued that Nduta must take responsibility for the crime. This is after she claimed that she was unaware of the drugs being in her suitcase as she made her way into the country.
As a result, Margaret Nduta’s Vietnam case has become a topic of discussion in Kenya, with many leaders and citizens requesting the government to intervene.
Her sentence has also drawn attention to her home village, Kariko in Waithega, Murang’a County. Some of her neighbors are in disbelief about what she’s currently facing. Paul Mbugua, a neighbor to Margaret Nduta’s family, revealed how the villagers reacted after learning that the 37-year-old woman was to travel abroad.
While speaking to local news outlet The Standard, Mbugua said they first believed that Nduta had secured a bright future, and they all celebrated as she traveled overseas.
Another local of Kariko village, Alex Kimani, expressed his feelings following Margaret Nduta’s prosecution in Vietnam.
Kimani told The Standard that they knew the young woman very well and that she grew up in a church setting. He further claimed that someone might have taken advantage of her naivety, thus involving her in an illegal activity.
“We know our girl. She grew up in church. Someone must have taken advantage of her naivety, Kimani told The Standard.
In addition to the villagers’ sentiments, Margaret Nduta’s mother alleged that her daughter went abroad to look for greener pastures.
Sadly, it has come to their surprise that Nduta faces a death penalty in Vietnam. The victim’s mother urged the government of President William Ruto to intervene in the case.
