With every passing second, Margaret Macharia Nduta draws closer to her date with the executioner with her family hoping that the last minutes efforts to save her will bear fruit.
The battle to save Nduta was fought in the diplomatic corridors as well as on the corridors of social media where Kenyans rallied behind one of their own with elected leaders also adding their voices to the conversation.
For Nduta, the end is nigh unless siomething changes within the next few hours and Kenyans are leaving nothing to chance in their bid to save one of their own.
The limited options to save Nduta from execution in Vietnam
Diplomatic intervention has proved to be effective for Kenya in the past and is one of the few ways that could see her dodge the execution that is hanging over her head.
The Kenyan government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can seek clemency or a lesser sentence.
With time running out, a slim window for an appeal still remains should Nduta and her legal team request a review of the sentence, giviong her an opportunity to live.
New evidence that would exonerate her from the crime would be needed to see her walk to freedom.
Bilateral relations may also be exploited to save Nduta, with President William Ruto reaching out directly to his Vietnamese counterpart and the Asian nation's authorities on humanitarian grounds.
The weight of the crime is not a light one, given Vietnam's long-standing position on illegal drugs and substance.
What gov't has done in a bid to save Nduta from execution in Vietnam
President William Ruto and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs led by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi reached out to Vietnamese authorities in a bid to save the Kenyan.
Gatundu North MP Elijah Njoroge Kururia confirmed that even as her date with the executioner nears, Kenya has not abandoned its citizen with President Ruto fully briefed and doing all he can to save her.
I can confirm that the president and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs contacted Vietnam yesterday and are waiting for feedback. The Vietnamese authorities have remained adamant. I’ve seen many people asking if the president is aware—yes, he is, and the government is awaiting a response.
#SaveNduta: Kenyans join efforts to save Nduta
Social media was awash with messages of solidarity as Kenyans piled pressure on the government and President William Ruto to intervene.
Empathising with the family, netizens noted that to err is human and Nduta deserves mercy, with her life spared even as justice prevails.
Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino and Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka are among those who have appealed to the President to intevene.
"I want to ask and to request President William Ruto to assist Margaret Nduta who is supposed to be hanged in Vietnam. This is a lady who was misued, used and abused and was used to transport Nduta. I know you can take your phone and call the Vietnman government and save her" Babu Owino stated in a video message.
"Margaret Nduta Macharia is a KENYAN, and it would be correct if she was repatriated back to the country to be tried within our laws over the crimes that she is being accused of.
"The President should have have already made a personal effort in his capacity to initiate diplomatic negotiations with Vietnam leadership concerning a matter that is involving a Kenyan Citizen." Senator Onyonka stated.
Yoko @Kibet_bull: Today Nduta will be hanged to deqth, she was looking for green pastures but ended up in the hands of drug Traffickers. Let the guy make a phone call to Vietnam, not to Macron only.
How Nduta landed date with the executioner
Nduta was arrested at Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City for trafficking coccaine.
She was prosecuted for trafficking two kilograms of the illicit drugs with the court establishing that she was paid $1,300 (approximately Sh167,000).
Nduta maintains that she did not know that she was transporting drugs, saying she thought she was transporting legitimate goods and was shocked when the content of her luggage was revealed to her upon arrest.
March 6 saw the Vietnamese justice system slap her with the death sentence, setting her execution date for March 16.