President Ruto Grants Clemency to 57 Prisoners Including Those Serving Life Sentences
President William Ruto has pardoned 56 Kenyan nationals and one foreign citizen who were serving lengthy prison sentences across different correctional facilities in the country.
In an official statement released on Monday, April 28, the Head of Public Service, Felix Koskei, announced that the President had conditionally released 31 individuals previously serving life sentences. Additionally, another 25 prisoners received remission and subsequent release.
Koskei further clarified that the pardoned foreigner, a citizen of the East African Community (EAC), was granted conditional release coupled with repatriation arrangements. This action aligns with the broader diplomatic relations maintained within the EAC framework.
Moreover, President Ruto extended a general amnesty to all petty offenders serving sentences of six months or less. This clemency also included inmates whose remaining jail terms were less than six months, even if their original sentences had been longer.
“It is notified that His Excellency the President, in accordance with the recommendations of the Power of Mercy Advisory Committee (POMAC), has exercised the prerogative of mercy conferred upon the Head of State and Government under Article 133 of the Constitution,” the statement from Koskei emphasized.
The statement continued, “In exercising this presidential authority that breathes life into the principles of rehabilitation and restorative justice, His Excellency the President has extended the hand of clemency to fifty-six Kenyan citizens and one foreign national, all of whom were serving long jail-term sentences in various prisons in our country.”
The President has also directed that the full list of those who received pardons will be published in the Kenya Gazette later this week. This move ensures transparency and public access to information concerning the exercise of presidential clemency.
In reinforcing the broader vision behind these pardons, President Ruto highlighted the critical role of reconciliation and reintegration within the criminal justice system. He emphasized that rehabilitation should not end with imprisonment but continue through meaningful efforts to restore individuals back to their communities.
“To strengthen the arc of justice, the Head of State and Government has urged all stakeholders within the criminal justice system to explore ways in which the principles of reconciliation, restoration, rehabilitation, and reintegration into the community can be more effectively expressed and implemented,” Koskei quoted the President as saying.
The announcement of these pardons follows shortly after President Ruto’s return from an official trip abroad. On Saturday, April 26, Ruto attended the funeral ceremony of Pope Francis in Italy, alongside notable leaders such as the Speaker of the National Assembly, Moses Wetang’ula, and Prime Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi. The funeral took place just after Ruto concluded his state visit to China.
Interestingly, prior reports had indicated that Ruto had delegated Wetang’ula to represent him at the solemn event. Nevertheless, the President attended in person, joining ten other African Heads of State at a gathering that saw the presence of several world leaders, including former United States President Donald Trump, as confirmed by the Vatican.
This act of clemency represents not just a symbolic gesture but a concrete step towards building a justice system rooted in compassion, rehabilitation, and societal restoration.
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President Ruto Grants Clemency to 57 Prisoners Including Those Serving Life Sentences
