Kenya is a de facto abolitionist country, having not carried out an execution since 1987. The country sentenced at least 12 individuals to death but carried out no executions in 2018.

At least 158 people remain on death row. While Kenya has ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in 1972, it has yet to ratify its Second Optional Protocol aiming at the abolition of the death penalty (ICCPR-OP2).

July 2018: Reacting to sentencing of  Ruth Kamande to death, Honourable Millie Odhiambo, Chairwoman of PGA’s National Group in Kenya, made public statements against the use of capital punishment and announced PGA’s National Group’s intent to introduce amendments to abolish it.

14 December 2017: In the Francis Karioko Maruatetu v. Republic, the Kenyan Supreme Court declared the mandatory death penalty unconstitutional.