NAIROBI, Kenya — President William Ruto has exercised his constitutional Power of Mercy, granting clemency to 57 individuals, including one foreign national, in a sweeping move aimed at reinforcing rehabilitation and restorative justice.
In a statement issued Monday by Chief of Staff Felix Koskei, the Executive Office of the President confirmed the decision, made on the recommendation of the Power of Mercy Advisory Committee (POMAC).
The presidential clemency includes the conditional release of 31 inmates serving life sentences and the repatriation of a foreign national from an East African Community (EAC) partner state who had also been serving a life term.
Additionally, 25 other prisoners have been freed through remission, allowing them to leave custody after serving a significant portion of their sentences.
In a broader move to ease congestion in prisons and support reintegration efforts, President Ruto also declared a general amnesty for petty offenders.
The amnesty applies to those sentenced to six months or less, as well as inmates with longer terms who have less than six months remaining on their sentences.
The President urged all criminal justice stakeholders to embrace deeper measures to promote reconciliation, rehabilitation, and reintegration.
He emphasized the importance of creating a justice system that not only punishes but also restores lives.
Full details of the clemency measures will be published in this week’s edition of the Kenya Gazette.
According to a recent report by POMAC, 460 inmates had submitted petitions seeking presidential mercy, with cases ranging from defilement and murder to robbery with violence and narcotics offenses.
The Committee’s vetting process considers factors such as the nature of the crime, the offender’s behavior in prison, and time already served.
The Power of Mercy, enshrined under Article 133 of the Constitution, allows the President to issue pardons, commute sentences, or substitute less severe punishments based on clear guidelines and recommendations from POMAC.
