STEPHEN MUNYAKHO RETURNS TO KENYA AFTER 14-YEAR DETENTION IN SAUDI ARABIA

Kenyan national Stephen Munyakho, also known as "Stevo" or Abdulkareem, is expected to land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) tonight after spending 14 years in detention in Saudi Arabia.
Munyakho was released on July 22, 2025, following a lengthy legal battle and intense diplomatic efforts by the Kenyan government. He had been imprisoned since 2011 over a fatal workplace altercation in Mecca involving a Yemeni national. Initially convicted of manslaughter, an appeal in 2014 saw the charge upgraded to murder—resulting in a death sentence.
The breakthrough came after the family of the deceased accepted diyya (blood money), paving the way for Munyakho’s release. The compensation amounting to $1 million (KSh129 million) was raised with support from the Muslim World League and the Kenyan government.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi confirmed that Kenyan officials issued Munyakho with an Emergency Travel Document, as his passport had expired during incarceration. Saudi authorities covered his deportation costs.
Before his repatriation, Munyakho was granted the opportunity to perform Umrah (a minor pilgrimage) in Mecca. He was then moved from Shimeisi Prison to a deportation facility, pending travel arrangements.
His return marks the end of a decade-long ordeal that sparked public concern and high-level diplomatic intervention. He is expected to receive a warm welcome from family, government officials, and human rights advocates tonight at JKIA.