Kenya
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Abolitionist de facto
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · Murder, treason and armed robbery are capital crimes
- News items in the archive
- 328
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Kenya is classified as Abolitionist de facto in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 328 news items on Kenya, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- AUGUST 11, 2011KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: MUMIAS 3 TO HANG FOR VIOLENT ROBBERIES, RAPE
in Mumias, Kenya, Principal Magistrate Evans Makori sentenced
- JULY 26, 2011KenyaDEATH PENALTY
UGANDA: EAST AFRICA PRISON OFFICERS BACK DEATH PENALTY ABOLITION
Uganda and Kenya prison authorities supported the abolition of the death penalty, contrary to judicial officers who insist it should stay.
- JULY 25, 2011KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: JUDGES BACK DEATH PENALTY
at a conference on the death penalty in East Africa, Kenyan Judiciary officers said the death penalty should not be completely abolished and should be available in extreme instances
- JULY 19, 2011KenyaDEATH PENALTY
70-YEAR-OLD KENYAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ROBBERY
at a Kenyan court, Magistrate Esther Boke sentenced Kuria Kihunyu...
- JUNE 14, 2011KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYAN MUSLIM LEADERS CALL FOR DEATH PENALTY FOR GAYS
Muslim leaders in Kenya called on the government to introduce the death penalty for homosexuals.
- MAY 26, 2011KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: MOBILE PHONE THIEVES SENTENCED TO DEATH
in Kenya, Baricho resident magistrate James Mwaniki sentenced Josphat Mureithi Mwangi...
- MAY 20, 2011KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: COURT OVERTURNS GACHANJA'S CONVICTION
Justices Otieno, O’Kubasu and Waki of the Court of Appeal in Kenya quashed the conviction of Elizabeth Gitiri Gachanja, wife of former Lands Commissioner Wilson Gachanja.
MARCH 13, 2011KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: THREE TO HANG FOR ROBBERY
Antony Mutembei Njeru, Isaack Murimi Mwaniki and John Murithi Kivuti were
- MARCH 8, 2011KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: MAN SENT TO THE GALLOWS FOR ROBBERY
Simion Oywonga Mochobo was sentenced to death in Kenya by Ogembo Principal Magistrate Lily Nafula at a Gucha court. He was sentenced for violently robbing Consolata Ntenga on December 2, 2009 at Bokimonge sub location in Kenyenya District, and Jackline Ke
- MARCH 6, 2011KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH
William Kinyua, James Muriithi and Erick Nyaga were sentenced to death in Kenya by Siakago magistrate Samuel Mokua for robbing trader Mwaniki Machaki of Sh10,900 and a Sh4,000 mobile phone on November 13, 2009 and Josephine Nyaga of Sh11,000 and a phone.
MARCH 2, 2011KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: MAN TO HANG FOR VIOLENT ROBBERY
A man was sentenced to death in Kenya by a Gucha court for robbery with violence. Simon
- FEBRUARY 28, 2011KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: RUIRU TRADER TO HANG FOR KILLING HUSBAND
businesswoman Ann Wambui was sentenced to death by Kenyan High Court judge Jessi Lessit for stabbing her husband Joseph Kahari to death in a domestic quarrel on June 22, 2006, at Gitabaya village in Ruiru.
- JANUARY 1, 2011KenyaDEATH PENALTY
Murder, treason and armed robbery are capital crimes.
Murder, treason and armed robbery are capital crimes.
- OCTOBER 22, 2010KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING ITALIAN PRIEST
a man and a woman were sentenced to death in Nairobi, Kenya, after being found guilty
- OCTOBER 18, 2010KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: MAN TO DIE FOR KILLING RELATIVE OVER FEES
in Nairobi, Kenya, Samuel Kamonjo and his son-in-law Benjamin Karanja were sentenced
- SEPTEMBER 29, 2010KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: WE WERE TRICKED TO ADMIT GUILT, SAY TWO ON DEATH ROW
Patrick Wanjohi and John Nduati Wanjiru appealed against their death sentences in the Kenyan High Court sitting in Nakuru.
- SEPTEMBER 16, 2010KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: MAN TO DIE FOR KILLING HIS WIFE
Henry Karanja Muiru, 40, was sentenced to death by hanging by Lady Justice Jessie Lesiit for killing his wife Keziah Wairimu Karatu and butcher Jesse Gitau Kabiru he suspected of having an affair with at Nderi trading centre in Kiambu on November 1, 2008.
- AUGUST 2, 2010KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: POLICEMAN TO DIE FOR MURDER
in Kenya, Nyeri court Chief magistrate Stella Muketi sentenced former police constable Peter Mundia Murigo to death for a violent robbery...
- JULY 30, 2010KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: LANDMARK RULING ON DEATH PENALTY
Justices Riaga Omollo, Philip Waki and Onyango Otieno of the Appeals Court in Kenya declared the mandatory death sentence for murder contained in section 204 of the Penal Code unconstitutional.
- JULY 13, 2010KenyaDEATH PENALTY
DEATH SENTENCES FOR MURDER OF KENYA HIV RESEARCHER
Simon Ndungu Wainaina and Paul Ndungu Kariuki were sentenced to death by Nairobi Chief Magistrate Gilbert Mutembei for robbing and killing Kenya's leading HIV researcher, Professor Job Bwayo, on February 4, 2007.
JUNE 29, 2010KenyaDEATH PENALTYYEMEN: EIGHT SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG SMUGGLING
a Yemeni court sentenced five Yemeni nationals, a Kenyan, a Somalian and a Tanzanian
- MAY 11, 2010KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: DEATH PENALTY TO STAY
Kenya rejected a UN proposal to delete the death penalty from its law books among
- APRIL 15, 2010KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: AG BACKS CONVICT ON DEATH PENALTY PLEA
the Kenyan Attorney General supported Godfrey Ngotho Mutiso's application to have the death penalty abolished. But Mr Amos Wako said he was agreeing with the prisoner’s arguments for only that particular case.
- MARCH 6, 2010KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: RETRIAL ORDERED IN DEATH SENTENCE CASE
Kenyan appellate judges Samuel Bosire, Erastus Githinji and Philip Waki recently set aside the death sentence of Richard Charo Mole and ordered a retrial.
- FEBRUARY 26, 2010KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: MAN TO DIE FOR KILLING FORMER GIRLFRIEND'S DAUGHTER
in Nairobi, Kenya, John Irungu Macharia’s appeal against his death sentenced was rejected by Justices Githinji, Waki and Visram.
- JANUARY 1, 2010KenyaDEATH PENALTY
Murder, treason and armed robbery are capital crimes.
Murder, treason and armed robbery are capital crimes.
- DECEMBER 28, 2009KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: ROBBER TO HANG AFTER APPEAL FAILS
Frankline Muriuki’s appeal against his death sentence was dismissed by Judges Emmanuel O’Kubasu, Erastus Githinji and Daniel Aganyanya of the Kenyan Court of Appeal.
- DECEMBER 9, 2009KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: MAN TO DIE FOR KILLING PARENTS
Rasesh Chhotalal Shah, 28, was sentenced to death in Kenya by Lady Justice Jessie Lesiit for murdering his parents.
- AUGUST 13, 2009KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: TWO DEATH SENTENCES FOR VIOLENT ROBBERY
in Kenya, Makadara principal magistrate Mrs Teresia Murigi sentenced two men to death for violently robbing a man coming from a funeral of Sh150 and a cell phone.
AUGUST 3, 2009KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: PRESIDENT KIBAKI REDUCES ALL DEATH SENTENCES TO LIFE
Kenya's more than 4,000 death row inmates all will have their sentences commuted to life imprisonment, President Mwai Kibaki announced, describing their wait to face execution as "undue mental anguish and suffering."