A Kenyan software developer and digital activist, Rose Njeri, was arrested last week in Nairobi for creating a tool that enabled users to automatically send emails to the national assembly’s finance committee, voicing opposition to the proposed Finance Bill 2025.
On Tuesday, Njeri faced charges in court under Kenya’s computer misuse and cybercrime law, with prosecutors alleging her tool disrupted the committee’s system operations.
She was released on bail following her arraignment, but her arrest has triggered widespread public anger across Kenya, amplifying concerns over digital activism and government repression.
Njeri announced her tool on X on May 19, stating, “I wrote a simple program that lets you reject the Finance Bill 2025 with just one click. Click below to send your objection.”
Police arrested her at her home on Friday, confiscating her electronic devices, which sparked immediate backlash from politicians, civil society, and ordinary Kenyans.
Protests erupted outside the police station on Sunday, with activists and family members decrying her detention as an attack on public participation.
Activist Boniface Mwangi remarked, “Imagine having to tell her children that she’s in jail for developing a website that eases public participation for Kenyans who want to submit their proposals on the 2025 budget.”
Amnesty International Kenya’s executive director, Irũngũ Houghton, condemned the arrest, declaring, “It is clear to us that Rose Njeri’s rights have been severely violated, and any contemplated fair trial is in jeopardy.”
Her arrest has fueled debates about freedom of expression and the role of digital tools in political activism, particularly in the context of Kenya’s controversial Finance Bill 2025.
The Finance Bill 2025 introduces sweeping tax reforms aimed at boosting government revenue, but critics warn it will raise tax burdens and shrink disposable income for Kenyans.
This legislation aligns with Kenya’s medium-term revenue strategy (MTRS), launched in 2023, targeting a five percent increase in the tax-to-GDP ratio over three years, spanning financial years 2024/25 to 2026/27.
The MTRS focuses on expanding the tax base, adopting global tax administration best practices, ensuring tax rate predictability, promoting investments, and cutting tax expenditures.
Proposed changes include revising the VAT threshold, adjusting VAT rates, and imposing VAT on education and insurance services, stirring significant public discontent.
The rejection of the Finance Bill 2024 disrupted the MTRS rollout, prompting amendments now embedded in the 2025 bill, further intensifying opposition.
Kenyans argue that these tax hikes threaten their financial stability, with Njeri’s tool emerging as a digital rallying point for citizens to engage in the legislative process.
Her case underscores growing tensions between the Kenyan government and its citizens, as authorities clamp down on digital activism amid rising public resistance.
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