By Jeff Mwaura
NAIROBI, Kenya — Rose Njeri, a 35-year-old software developer and digital rights advocate, was released on bail Tuesday after being detained for creating an online tool that enabled citizens to express opposition to Kenya’s controversial Finance Bill 2025.
Njeri was arrested on May 30 at her Nairobi residence by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations. Authorities charged her under Section 16 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, accusing her of “unauthorized interference with a computer system.” Prosecutors allege that her platform, Civic Email, overwhelmed parliamentary servers by facilitating mass email submissions to the National Assembly’s Finance Committee.
The arrest sparked widespread condemnation from civil society groups, legal experts, and political figures, who view the move as an attempt to stifle digital activism and suppress dissent.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua criticized the government for targeting youth innovation, stating, “Instead of celebrating her contribution to civic engagement, the state has chosen to make an example of her.”
Njeri’s tool gained popularity for simplifying public participation in legislative processes, particularly concerning the Finance Bill 2025, which proposes significant tax reforms and expanded access for the Kenya Revenue Authority to personal financial data without court orders.
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International Kenya, have called for the charges against Njeri to be dropped, citing violations of constitutional rights to freedom of expression and public participation.
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) labeled the prosecution as a “gross misapplication of the law” and an “abuse of court process.”
Njeri, a single mother of two, expressed concern over her family’s well-being during her detention, noting that she was not afforded timely access to legal counsel or medical attention for her anemia.
Her release on a Ksh100,000 bond comes with a court date set for June 20, where the validity of the charges will be examined.
The incident underscores growing tensions in Kenya over digital freedoms and government transparency, particularly as the nation reflects on the legacy of last year’s protests against the Finance Bill 2024, which resulted in significant civil unrest and allegations of human rights abuses.
