Why execute broken persons? Let's abolish the death penalty

Inmates on Death Penalty listen to speeches during the 15th World Day against Death Penalty at Kamiti Maximum Prison. [Boniface Okendo,Standard]

It’s been 35 years since the Kenyan state legally executed anyone for a capital offence but, for the 600 human beings currently on death row, three decades is too long to stay walking dead. A new opinion poll released this week suggests that it may be time to abolish the death penalty.

The Kenyan National Commission on Human Rights released its national opinion poll this Wednesday. The survey comes at a time the world is gradually moving toward abolishing this practice. 579 people were executed and 2,052 were sentenced to death last year according to Amnesty International. The figures could be higher as China secretly carries out executions but does not publicly release its figures.