- Margaret Nduta’s family refutes claims of past arrests
- Sister insists it was Nduta’s first time leaving Kenya
- Family calls for government intervention to save her from execution
The family of Margaret Nduta, a Kenyan national sentenced to death in Vietnam for drug trafficking, has dismissed viral claims suggesting she had been arrested multiple times before her detention in the Southeast Asian country.
Family Defends Nduta, Dismisses Past Arrest Claims
Speaking on Saturday, March 22, 2025, Nduta’s twin sister, Wambui Macharia, strongly denied allegations that her sister had a history of drug-related arrests. She urged the public to stop spreading false information about the case.
“Kwa majina naitwa Wambui Macharia, twin sister ya Nduta ambaye ako huko Vietnam. Nataka kuambia watu wa social media vile wanasema ati amewahi toka Kenya, hajawahi toka Kenya na hajawahi shikwa mara mingi,” she said.
According to Wambui, this was Nduta’s first time ever traveling abroad, dismissing reports that she had been involved in any criminal activities before.
A Life of Struggles and Hustles
Wambui painted a picture of Nduta’s difficult life, revealing that she had always been a hardworking woman. Before leaving for Vietnam, Nduta had been part of the government’s Kazi Mtaani program, which provided short-term employment. However, when the initiative ended, she faced even greater financial struggles.
She recalled how they had grown up together, never separating since childhood, attending the same primary school and even dropping out of Form Two together due to financial difficulties.
Their move to Nairobi was a result of an opportunity to stay with their aunt in Rongai, where they trained in salon work before eventually renting their own house in Ruai and hustling to make ends meet.
“Nduta tulizaliwa siku moja na yeye na tumesoma pamoja primary na yeye na tulifika Form Two pamoja na yeye. Na tulitoka nyumbani tukaja Nairobi, tukaenda side ya Rongai kwa aunt yangu, tukajifunza course ya salon na tukaenda Ruai. Tumekuwa tukiishi Ruai na yeye na kila kitu tumekuwa tukifanya pamoja,” she explained.
However, things took a turn when they stopped working together, and Nduta began struggling financially.
The Case Against Nduta
Nduta was convicted on March 6, 2025, for allegedly trafficking two kilograms of cocaine and sentenced to death, with the execution initially scheduled for Sunday, March 16, 2025.
She was arrested in July 2023 while traveling to Laos, where authorities reportedly found the illicit substances in her possession.
Vietnam is known for having **some of the harshest drug laws in the
