President William Ruto has pardoned 57 inmates serving long-term sentences in Kenyan prisons, In a bold move underscoring his commitment to second chances. The clemency, announced on April 28, 2025, highlights the president’s focus on rehabilitation and restorative justice as central pillars of the nation’s criminal justice system.
Among those released, 31 individuals serving life sentences walked free under conditional terms. Another 25 prisoners were granted remission and released immediately. The president also extended mercy to minor offenders serving sentences of six months or less, and to those with less than half a year remaining behind bars.
One of the pardoned individuals is a foreign national from an East African Community member state, released on condition of repatriation, an indication of the government’s broader regional and humanitarian considerations.
This wave of pardons followed recommendations from the Power of Mercy Advisory Committee (POMAC), a constitutional body tasked with advising the president on clemency matters. Speaking on behalf of the administration, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei emphasized that the decision embodies the ideals of reconciliation, restoration, rehabilitation, and reintegration.
“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 power of mercy conferred upon the Head of State and Government under Article 133 of the Constitution,” Koskei stated.
The announcement comes as President Ruto balances a packed schedule on both domestic and international fronts. Just days earlier, he was in Italy, attending the funeral of Pope Francis alongside fellow African heads of state, further signalling Kenya’s growing engagement on the world stage.
