President William Ruto has commuted death sentences imposed before November 22, 2022, to life imprisonment.

Through a gazette notice, President William Ruto has commuted death sentences imposed before November 22, 2022, to life imprisonment.

The Head of state decided on the recommendation by the power of mercy advisory committee.

According to Attorney General Justin Muturi, the directive would apply to all convicts sentenced to death as of November 21, 2022.

“It is notified for the general information of the public that in the exercise of the powers conferred by Article 133 of the Constitution of Kenya and section 23 (1) of the Power of Mercy Act, 2011, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces of the Republic of Kenya, commuted the death sentence imposed on every capital offender as at November 21, 2022, to a life sentence,” the notice stated.

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Article 133 of the 2010 Constitution, which also grants the Head of State the authority to offer a free or conditional pardon to a person convicted of an offence, is in keeping with President Ruto's mandate.

The last execution in Kenya occurred in 1987 when Hezekiah Ochuka was hanged after being accused of treason in the attempted coup in 1982.

In 2017, the Supreme Court prohibited the death penalty by holding that it was unconstitutional in a lawsuit by Francis Muruatetu.