The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs (JLAC) has
thrown its weight behind the campaign for scrapping off of the mandatory death penalty,
being spearheaded by the International Commission Against the Death Penalty (ICDP).

This emerged during deliberations between the Committee Members and delegation from
ICDAP that is in the country to ascertain the status of efforts to eradicate the death penalty in
Kenya.

During a meeting chaired by Committee Vice-Chairperson Hon. Mwengi Mutuse, the MPs
informed the delegation that Kenya had made major strides in the steps towards eradication
of the mandatory death sentence.

Delegation Members led by Rwanda’s former Deputy Chief Justice Ms. Sylie Kayitesi, who
is also a Commissioner in ICDP sought to know from the Committee about the progress of
related deliberations within Parliament on eradication of the mandatory death sentence.
Among these is the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill 20926, which has already undergone
Public participation is currently as the Second Reading Stage in the National Assembly.

Hon. Mutuse informed the delegation that that besides recent judicial pronouncements on the
matter, the National Assembly was also considering a number of legislations related to the
subject.

He added that Kenya had largely departed from the practice of execution of the death penalty,
and that the country was making progressive legislative steps towards enactment of the
necessary legal framework in place.

Committee members reiterated that the right to life was paramount as espoused in the Kenyan
Constitution and that there was need to safeguard the same; even as the country fights capital
offences; that are subject of the death penalty.

“The last time a person was executed in Kenya on account of a judicial decision was in the
year 1987. Kenya is a progressive democracy and I believe we as a country can take the lead
in the Continent in the full eradication of the mandatory death sentence,” noted Hon. Mutuse.
The ICDP delegation had last week taken their campaign for eradication of the mandatory
death sentence to the Interparliamentary Union Meeting in Arusha, Tanzania where a number
of Kenyan Legislators were also in attendance.